The Oriental Pearl TV Tower, Jinmao Building, Peace Hotel, starting from the Waibaidu Bridge at the mouth of the Suzhou River in the north, the famous Bank of China Building, Peace Hotel, Customs Building, and HSBC Bank Building recreate the style of the "Far East Wall Street" in the past. Although these buildings are not from the same designer, nor were they built in the same period, their architectural tones are basically unified, and the overall contours are surprisingly coordinated. Whether you are looking far into the distance or wandering around, you can feel a vigorous, powerful, graceful and luxurious momentum. The Asia Building, "The First Building on the Bund", was built in 1906 and was formerly known as the MacBonn Building. Dongyang London - Dongfeng Hotel, No. 2, Zhongshan East Road,
Yiyi Building No. 4, Zhongshan East Road, is now Singapore Giti Private Investment Co., Ltd. Formerly known as the Union Building, it was owned by the American Bank of America.
China Commercial Bank Building
No. 6, Zhongshan East 1st Road. In 1906, the Chinese opened the first bank with self-raised funds, called China Commercial Bank. The bank is now the seat of Hong Kong Parkview International Enterprise Co., Ltd. The building is a false four-story Gothic-style building. The fourth floor of the building has five spire levels and originally had a cross. There are small minarets on the third and fourth floors. The fourth floor of the building has pointed-shaped windows, and the first and second floors have typical Gothic-style stained glass windows. The significance of this European-style building, which is about to pass a century, goes beyond its historical and artistic qualities. It can be said that it marked the first page in China's financial history.
Dabei Telegraph Company Building
No. 7, Zhongshan East 1st Road, is a Renaissance-style building. The building pays attention to unity, symmetry and stability, and the facade decoration is very particular. Classical-style columns are used on each floor, either for load-bearing or just for decoration. The graphics around the windows are diverse and have a strong three-dimensional feel, almost Baroque style. Its black roof and white windows create a sharp contrast. At the same time, it does not lose a sense of elegance. This building is now the Shanghai Branch of the Bank of Thailand. Since its completion in 1908, it has changed owners four times. It was first known as the Great Northern Telegraph Company Building. Later it was used by China Commercial Bank and Yangtze River Shipping Company.
China Merchants Building
As China’s first self-operated new steamship enterprise, China Merchants Bureau was founded during this period. The China Merchants Bureau was built in 1901. The building is a three-story brick and wood structure facing west to east. The main door frame on the ground floor extends outwards. There are tall arched floor-to-ceiling windows on both sides of the main door. The second and third floor facades are decorated with classical columns. Part of the exterior wall of the building is clad with granite. The China Merchants Building can be regarded as a typical example of Bund architecture in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Whether it is historical or artistic, it is worth visiting.
Pudong Development Bank Building (formerly Shanghai Municipal People’s Government Building and HSBC Bank Building)
No. 10-12, Zhongshan East 1st Road, is a neo-Greek building built in 1923. HSBC Bank Shanghai Branch. At that time, the United States regarded this building as the most elegant building from the Suez Canal to the Bering Strait in the Far East. When it was built, two eye-catching large bronze lions were placed in front of the building. It is said that after the lions were cast, the bronze molds were immediately destroyed. This made the pair of bronze lions an out-of-print treasure and has now been sent to the Shanghai History Museum. On the top of the octagonal foyer of the building, more than 20 meters above the ground, there are eight murals composed of hundreds of thousands of colorful mosaics of only a few square centimeters. It is 4.3 meters wide and 2.4 meters high. It depicts the architectural styles of eight cities including Shanghai, Hong Kong, London, Paris, New York, Tokyo, Bangkok, and Calcutta in the early 20th century. It is also equipped with images of mythological characters and 24 paintings. The shapes of animals in mythological stories and the huge murals of mythological stories on the top cover a total area of ??nearly 200 square meters. There is a circle of beautiful words between the century murals, which is translated as "We are all brothers within the four seas, which symbolizes the peace and prosperity of the entire world at the arrival of the new century."
Shanghai Customs Building
The "sister building" of HSBC Bank was built in 1927. It is majestic and tall, standing shoulder to shoulder with the elegant HSBC Bank and complementing each other. The Shanghai Customs Building combines the advantages of European classicism and Renaissance architecture. The lintel of the building is supported by four huge Roman granite columns, with the towering bell tower as the axis. It is extraordinary. The architectural shape is neoclassical Greek style. The upper section The bell tower is in Gothic style, ten stories high, and is modeled after the bell of the U.S. Capitol Building. It was built in the United States and then shipped to Shanghai for assembly. It is said that it cost more than 2,000 taels of silver. It is the largest bell in Asia and one of the famous bells in the world. The Customs Building stands majestically on the bank of the Pujiang River, and its sonorous and passionate bells symbolize solemnity and mission.
Bank of Communications Building
No. 14, Zhongshan East 1st Road, was built in 1940, covering an area of ??1,908 square meters and a construction area of ??10,088 square meters. Belongs to modernism style. The architectural design emphasizes vertical lines and the facade is simple and clear. The exterior wall on the ground floor is veneered with black marble, which is solemn and luxurious. There are artificial circular marble escalators decorated with copper railings on both sides of the entrance, and you can go up to the lobby on the second floor, which is full of red and magnificent. The lower parts of the 36 circular pillars in the hall and the walls around the hall are paved and decorated with red tiles, and the floor is also paved with red tiles. The solemn appearance of the building and the warmth of the interior make it unique and more modern among the classical buildings.
Huayosheng Bank Building
It is a Renaissance-style building that has gone through more than eighty years. The Kuomintang Central Bank, Shanghai Space Administration, and China Foreign Exchange Trading Center all have offices here. The building has a solid structure and exquisite decoration. It forms a symmetrical structure with the main entrance as the central axis. The ground floor door has four double columns and hole-shaped windows on both sides. There are Ionic columns on the east facade of the second to third floors, and there are also classical column decorations on both sides of the windows. The exterior walls are made of white glazed bricks and granite, with harmonious tones. The exterior walls of the ground floor are made of Suzhou granite. The escalators in the building are made of marble, there are character reliefs on the walls on the second floor, and the huge and exquisite stained glass roof and cloister are still well preserved. Bank of Taiwan Building
The current location of the Shanghai Branch of China Merchants Bank. The building was built in 1924 and covers an area of ??904 square meters. Overall it belongs to Japan's modern Western architectural style. The east facade is equipped with four European classical columns. This makes it rich in European classical architectural style, which reminds people of the Dongfeng Hotel, known as "Oriental London". The internal or external connections between these buildings make the buildings on the Bund particularly harmonious and unified, creating an overall sense of beauty.
Macquarie Bank Building
The first foreign bank in Shanghai was Liru Bank, which was opened in what is now known as the Macquarie Bank Building. The building is on the fifth floor. The exterior walls on the ground floor are paved with granite, and the interior floor is made of black and white contrasting marble. The gate is the main line of the building, with symmetrical architectural shapes on the north and south sides. The facades on the second to fourth floors are supported by two Ionic columns, and there are six square columns in the middle section of the fifth floor. Engraved in the shape of petals. In order to give the building a sense of height, a triangular roof is now added to the top floor, which makes people feel the exquisiteness and uniqueness of the Macquarie Bank Building.
AIA Building (formerly Guilin Building, Ziyu Building)
This was once the largest foreign news and publishing organization in Shanghai, the Zilin West Newspaper. The AIA Insurance Company officially moved in for renovation in 1998, so it was renamed "AIA Building". The facade of the building is divided into three levels. The first floor is veneered with rough large stones; the second floor is painted with cement; the third floor has dome-shaped windows on both sides and an elegant tower top, fully demonstrating the changes in architecture and Renaissance art. symmetry and harmony.
Peace Hotel South Building (formerly Huizhong Hotel)
Walking on the Bund, there is a building with white brick walls and red brick waistline that is particularly eye-catching. This American-style building The Liuzeng building is the south building of Peace Hotel. It is located at No. 19, Zhongshan East 1st Road, and was originally named Central Hotel. This hotel, built in 1906, has profound historical significance. In 1909, the "Universal Anti-Smoking Conference" was held here. In 1996, the "Shanghai International Doping Conference" organized by the Joint Narcotics Control Administration was held, and the venue mark of the "Universal Anti-Smoking Conference" was erected. In 1911, the China League Headquarters also held a welcome meeting in the hotel for Sun Yat-sen's inauguration as interim president. This series of commemorative historical facts adds more glory to the south building of the Peace Hotel.
North Tower of Peace Hotel (formerly Sassoon Building)
The north and south floors of Peace Hotel are staggered. Compared with the south tower, the north tower feels luxurious. The 77-square-meter building is known as the "No. 1 Building in the Far East" due to its exquisite interior and exterior decoration. The building has the architectural style of the American Chicago School, with a simple and clear appearance that emphasizes verticality. The granite walls, conical roof, and copper roof all exude a simple and elegant atmosphere. The hotel has suites from nine countries: British, American, Indian, German, French, American, Japanese, Spanish and medium-sized. The restaurant and lobby are magnificently decorated. There is also the Shanghai Senior Jazz Band, which is very popular with foreign tourists. It plays famous songs from all over the world, making people feel like they are in a palace where world culture and classic art blend.
Bank of China Building
The architecture on the Bund is known for its European style, and the Bank of China Building is one of the few buildings with Chinese national characteristics. The building is divided into main building and secondary building. The exterior walls are made of Jinshan stone, the roof is a gentle square spire, covered with green glazed tiles, and the eaves are decorated with brackets. The east facade has deformed coin-shaped hollow window frames from high to low. The original stone sculptures of Confucius traveling around the world above the gate tell fascinating stories. The ceiling of the business hall originally had a pattern of "Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea" carved on it. There is an antique atmosphere everywhere. These carved beams, painted pillars and green tiles and cornices are also the crystallization of the wisdom and hard work of the Chinese nation, allowing future generations to inherit and carry forward them.
Yita Cruise Building
At the intersection of Zhongshan East 1st Road and Beijing East Road, there is a seemingly ordinary but interesting building. It is the Yita Cruise Building, also known as the "Green Cruise Building". The building is 7 stories high and has 2 basement levels. The solid and thick granite arch door is flanked by classical columns. There are extended balconies on the second to fifth floors, and there is also a tower on the top floor of the seventh floor. It is elegant and beautiful. The entire building has a simple and clear exterior facade. It is also a typical Renaissance-style building.
Zhengjin Building
It was built in 1924 and has a unique post-Renaissance style. Like other Renaissance buildings, it has granite exterior walls and clear main lines. , symmetrical shape, but without many cumbersome decorations, making it more smooth. The ground floor of the building is paved with large stones. The whole building gives people a sense of stability. The second to fifth floors are supported by two Ionic columns, showing a classical style.
The oblong glass ceiling in the inner hall is elegant in shape and exquisite in craftsmanship. It is a typical building on the Bund.
Yihe & Matheson Building
Since Shanghai opened as a port in 1943, foreign merchants have opened foreign banks one after another, and Jardine & Matheson is one of the earliest ones. Since then, British businessmen have carried out a large number of trading activities here. The Jardine Matheson Building is located at No. 27, Zhongshan East 1st Road. It is a Renaissance-style building. The first and second floors of the building are divided into one section, with a clear axis built of granite. The door and window frames on both sides are shaped like Roman semicircular arches. There is a sheep head relief decoration above the main entrance, which looks solemn and solid. The third to fifth floors are also One section is supported by Roman Corinthian columns, which is majestic and shows a strong Western European classical color. The third floor has a stone railing balcony, and there are stone carvings inlaid above the entire window frame. The original platform and dome above the fifth floor have been removed. It has been raised to seven stories.
Oriental Building
The current Traffic Department Building of the Municipal Public Security Bureau was originally the office space of the Shanghai Branch of Crédit Agricole. Designers used luxurious and exaggerated touches to integrate architecture, sculpture and painting in churches and palaces, and used short eaves, wavy walls, overlapping columns and murals to create a mysterious religious atmosphere in the buildings. The building emphasizes facade decoration and treatment, paying particular attention to the proportions of the building itself. Above it is a huge Ionic column that runs through. The thick walls on both sides are divided into three sections horizontally. The top eaves are deep and have exquisite carvings. The doors and windows on the ground floor form three tall building doors, with linear reliefs in the middle. In addition, the small structure of the building is also carefully carved, striving for perfection, which can be described as a Baroque classic. The British Consulate
was built in 1873. It is a two-story building with a similar Renaissance architectural style. The building has a high platform and five round-arched windows in the vertical middle section of the ground floor. The windows in the rooms on both sides are round-arched. . The exterior facade has undergone changes. The entire building's exterior facade was originally made of exposed bricks, and the roof was paved with Chinese butterfly tiles. Now the exterior walls have been painted with cement. There is a large lawn in front of the building on the east side, making the environment even more beautiful. After liberation, the Shanghai Branch of China International Travel Service was located here. After the agency moved out, institutions such as the Shanghai Foreign Investment Commission, Shanghai Institute of International Economics and Trade, and Shanghai International Studies Center were located here. In addition to the above-mentioned buildings on the Bund, the Waibaidu Bridge, Shanghai Tower, Russian Consulate General and Weather Signal Observatory are integrated with these buildings on the Bund, creating a complete picture of the "Architecture Expo of All Nations".
Waibaidu Bridge
Located on the west side of Huangpu Park, it spans the section of Suzhou River between Zhongshan East 1st Road and East Daming Road. Completed in 1970, it is the first steel structure bridge in Shanghai, with a span of 52.16 meters and a width of 18.3 meters. It is an important passage connecting Shanghai urban area to the east of Shanghai. The flow of people and vehicles crossing the bridge is very high. Because it is located at the Waibaidu Bridge in the old days, people don't have to pay to cross the bridge, so it is called Waibaidu Bridge.
Shanghai Tower
Shanghai Tower, which consists of the main building and the auxiliary building, is located on the north side of Waibaidu Bridge. This is an early modernist style splayed apartment structure. The exterior treatment and interior decoration are simple and clear, and the appearance is magnificent. The main building was originally named "Baiyaojiang Building". The auxiliary building is also known as "Pujiang Hotel". Now a three-star hotel, the hotel has senior suites with characteristics from six countries: China, the United States, Britain, France, Japan and Arabia. It has received many heads of state and Chinese and foreign tourists.
The Russian Consulate General
is located on the north side of Waibaidu Bridge, where the Suzhou River and the Huangpu River meet. The building was built in 1916, covering an area of ??1,700 square meters and a construction area of ??3,264 square meters. The building has four floors and an attic. Half of the ground floor is placed underground, with a height of 2 meters above the ground. There are classical double columns on both sides of the door, round arch and flat arch window frames on the second and third floors, and pilasters between the windows. The roof is double-folded and hipped, with curved peaked windows. There is a two-story watchtower on the west side of the roof, a green iron dome, an embankment along the river, and a hexagonal pavilion on the east side, where you can watch the Huangpu River. , the scenery at the confluence of Suzhou River.
Weather Signal Station
One of the landmark buildings on the Bund, it is listed as a nationally protected building. In 1884, the Xujiahui Observatory, founded by the French Catholic Church, set up a weather signal station on the "Yangjingbang" Bund (today's Yan'an East Road Bund). The signal station was a long wooden pole vertically on the ground. According to the weather information from the observatory, . In 1907, the cylindrical weather signal was rebuilt with a height of 50 meters and a tower height of 36.8 meters. It was known as the "Atunuba" style building. In order to protect this building, during the Bund reconstruction project in 1993, it was moved 20 meters eastward.