The watchtower before being repaired in 2000. [Photo/Nantong Daily]

The bell tower and watchtower in Chongchuan district, Nantong, East China's Jiangsu province, have been around since ancient times.

The two buildings feature different architectural styles, with the watchtower built in a Chinese style and the bell tower in an English style. They can be mutually accessed via the northern gate of the bell tower.

The bell tower before being repaired in 2000. [Photo/Nantong Daily]

Built in the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), the 4-meter-high watchtower used to serve as the front gate of the local government office from the Yuan to Qing dynasties (1644-1911).

After the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, the watchtower gradually fell into disrepair until 2000, when local authorities restored it to its original appearance.

The repaired bell tower and watchtower in Nantong. [Photo/Nantong Daily]

Standing in front of the watchtower was another building – the 22.6-meter-high bell tower established in 1914 by Zhang Jian (1853-1926), a renowned industrial magnate, educator, and scholar in Nantong. It used to be the tallest building in the city.