Where is the Wenchang Tower in Qiyang?

Qiyang Wenchang Tower is a cultural relic protection unit in Hunan Province.

wenchang tower

The times are clear. Located in Chengguan Town, Qiyang County, Hunan Province, this is the only masonry tower in the province with a mansion-like structure on all sides.

The tower was built in the first year of Wanli in the Ming Dynasty (1573), initiated by Deng Qiu, the magistrate of Tongren, Qiyang, and rebuilt in the 11th year of Qingganlong (1746).

Wenchang Tower is southeast and northwest, with a height of 36.68m, a base diameter of18.2m and a length of 7m on each side. It has a masonry structure, the bottom layer is based on bluestone, and the second layer is made of blue bricks, which are collected from bottom to top. Inside is the vault, outside is the cornice of masonry, and the floor, roof and corner ridge of the outer platform are paved with red sandstone, which is particularly resistant to wind and frost. The tower is hollow, and each floor has steps, which can go around the top of the tower. There are coupon doors on each floor. The second, third and seventh floors are provided with external platforms, and the rest are provided with waist eaves. The height of each floor is different, which makes the tower feel rhythmic. There is an iron gate at the top of the tower, which is magnificent. The main entrance of the first floor is embedded with a three-dimensional hollowed-out relief stone carving engraved with the words "Wenchang Tower". Inscriptions such as couplets and tower-building records are also embedded in the inner walls of other floors.

1983 10 June10, Hunan provincial people's government announced it as a provincial-level cultural relics protection unit with the number 102-45.