Stand at the crossing of Dongda Street and Beida Street in the Suzhou District and you will see the Drum and Bell Tower rising on its brick platform, a three-storey wooden building with an entrance on each side so that pedestrians can walk straight through. That crossing is as good a place as any to begin understanding Jiuquan: a Silk Road town in the Hexi Corridor, formerly known as Suzhou, whose name comes from the story of the Han general Huo Qubing pouring a vat of alcohol into a local creek to share it with his troops.
Jiuquan suits travellers who are working their way along the Hexi Corridor and want a stop that is about streets, museums and the desert landscape around them rather than a checklist of monuments. The city occupies the northwesternmost part of Gansu, and its built-up area sits mostly in the Suzhou District.
This guide covers the sights within the city that are documented for visitors, plus the one major site outside it that the city is known for. It is a short list, and deliberately so.
Top things to do in Jiuquan
1. Drum and Bell Tower
The Drum and Bell Tower stands at the intersection of Dongda Street and Beida Street in the Suzhou District. The first tower on the site was built during the 4th century AD, burnt down in a fire in the 19th century, and was rebuilt in the early 20th century. What you see now is a richly ornamented three-storey wooden building standing atop a brick platform, with entrances on each side through which pedestrians are allowed to pass.
It is worth the time because it is the most central and most immediately legible piece of the city's built history, and because you can walk through it rather than only look at it. It is open from 08:30 to 18:00, with no entry after 17:30, and it is served by bus nos. 1, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 15, 16, 20, 21, 22 and 25.
2. Jiuquan Museum
Jiuquan Museum is at 10 Panxuan West Road in the Suzhou District. It is free to enter and is open Tuesday to Sunday from 08:30 to 12:00 and again from 14:30 to 18:00, and is closed on Mondays.
Pair it with the Drum and Bell Tower for a half-day that gives you both the city's central landmark and its collections. Note the midday closure when you plan: the museum shuts between 12:00 and 14:30, so an early start or an afternoon visit works better than arriving at noon. Bus nos. 5, 7, 12 and 28 serve it.
3. Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center
Jiuquan is the closest major city to the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, one of the launch sites for the PRC's space programme. It was built in 1958, and the first Chinese human spaceflight, Shenzhou 5, was launched there on 15 October 2003.
Be clear about what this means for a visit: the launch center is closed to foreigners. It is also more than 100 km from the city and is actually located not in Gansu province but in the neighbouring Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, so it is not a casual add-on to a day in Jiuquan.
If you only have one day
Morning: Start at Jiuquan Museum on Panxuan West Road when it opens at 08:30, and give it the morning before the 12:00 closure.
Afternoon: After the midday break, head to the Drum and Bell Tower at the intersection of Dongda Street and Beida Street. Walk through its entrances and take your time over the wooden storeys above the brick platform, keeping in mind that no entry is allowed after 17:30.
Evening: Stay in the Suzhou District around the tower and the streets either side of it, which is where the city's built-up area is concentrated.
Frequently asked questions
Can I visit the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center?
No, if you are a foreign visitor. The launch center is closed to foreigners, and it lies more than 100 km from the city in the neighbouring Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region rather than in Gansu province.
When is Jiuquan Museum open?
Tuesday to Sunday, 08:30-12:00 and 14:30-18:00. It is closed on Mondays, and entry is free.
What are the Drum and Bell Tower's opening hours?
08:30-18:00, with no entry after 17:30.
What is Jiuquan's climate like through the year?
It is a cold desert climate, with long, cold winters and hot, somewhat dry summers. Monthly averages run from −8.9 °C in January to 22.3 °C in July, and the day-to-night temperature difference is relatively large, so layers are useful whatever the season.
Decide your dates, check the museum's Monday closure against them, and you have enough to start planning a stop in Jiuquan.