Erqi Memorial Tower

The Erqi Memorial Tower, or Erqi Tower is located in Erqi District, in the centre of Zhengzhou city, Henan province, China. The tower is 63 meters high and has 14 floors. It was historically the tallest building in Zhengzhou until 1976.

History

The current Erqi Memorial Tower was completed on September 29, 1971. It serves as a memorial to the Great [Strike of February 7], which occurred on February 7, 1923.
In May 2020, it was announced that the square surrounding the tower would be enlarged to, and that an adjacent building, the Friendship Mansion, a 20 story building, would be downgraded to 6 stories in height. This plan will be carried out to better highlight the tower.

Description

[Image:Erqiatnight.jpg|thumb|Erqi Memorial Tower at night]The tower stands in. It is made from reinforced concrete, and is done in a Chinese architectural style. The tower's shape, two pentagonal conjoined towers, is meant to commemorate the striking workers of the Erqi Strike, who went on strike while building the Beijing–Hankou railway. At the top of the tower is a five-pointed red star and a 2.7 meter clock below. The clock plays the Chinese revolutionary song The East Is Red every hour. The tower displays various historical relics, pictures, and written materials about the strike.