Shànghǎi - Gheos Worldguide

Shànghǎi Shì (上海市)

The region of present-day Shanghai has been inhabited since at least 4,000 BC. Shanghai was just a small fishing town, when the British opened their first concession there in 1842, after the first Opium War. In 1847 the French took over and Shanghai started developing rapidly as a result of its location on the mouth of the Yangzi River; an ideal location for a port. By 1895, when the Japanese arrived, Shanghai was a large, autonomous town with an international port.

In the 1930s, numerous financial institutions based themselves in Shanghai and huge skyscrapers were built. At that time the city already had traffic congestion and numerous brothels, gambling halls, as well as one of the region's busiest ports.

In 1947 the communists took over and started eradicating Shanghai's slums and the city's child labor. Drug addicts were sent to rehabilitation camps and the Western forces were kicked out.

It was not until in the 1990s that Western businesses were allowed in again and the influx of their capital are turning Shanghai once again into bustling metropolis.

Construction works are going on continuously, but despite of this, the Old City still retains some of its traditional architecture. There are countless glass and steel high-rise buildings and the city's port is as busy as ever. The Huangpu River divides the city into two parts, but most of the interesting sights are located in the district of Puxi.

Shanghai is known for its Lujiazui skyline, museums and historic buildings. There are also many architecturally distinctive and eccentric buildings in the city.

A distinctive cultural element in Shanghai is the so-called Shí Kù Mén (石库门, stone storage door) residence. These buildings typically have 2 or 3 storeys and are constructed of grey bricks. The front yard usually features a heavy wooden door in a stone arch. The houses are built in straight alleys called Lòngtáng (弄堂).

There are some areas in Shanghai, where you can see Soviet neoclassical and Stalinist architecture. The buildings ins these areas mostly date from the 1950s and 1960s. One prominent example of this architectural style is the Neoclassical Shanghai Exhibition Center.

Places of interest

The Bund is located on the bank of the Huangpu River. It is a waterfront area and a protected historical district in central Shanghai. It features early 20th-century architecture and it is the best reminder of the Shanghai's foreign foundation. The riverside area used to be the place where Western businesses did their deals and nowadays numerous foreign banks are situated there. Many areas in the former foreign concessions are well-preserved, especially the French Concession. The Bund includes numerous Art Deco buildings and it has been revitalized in 1986 and in 2010.

The Bund

The Shànghǎi Dōngfāng Yìshù Zhōngxīn (上海东方艺术中心, Oriental Art Center) is one of the most important performance and cultural facilities in Shanghai. The building is shaped to resemble a butterfly orchid from above. It opened to the public in 2005.
Shanghai Museum.
The Shànghǎi Dà Jùyuàn (上海大剧院, Shanghai Grand Theatre) is located at the intersection of Renmin Avenue and Huangpi North Road in the northern part of the People's Square.
The Old French Concession Area is located in the middle of the city and serves more or less as Shanghai's city center where most of things are going on.
Yù Yuán & Bazaar is a Jiangnan style garden not far from the French Concession Area. It features numerous specialty shops in a mock setting.
The Shànghǎi Chénghuángmiào (上海城隍庙, City God Temple) is adjacent to the Yù Garden. It is a folk temple located in the old city.
The Neoclassical HSBC Building is also known as the Municipal Government Building. It was completed in 1923 and it is located at 12, the Bund.
Jiāng Hǎiguān Dàlóu (江海关大楼, Custom House) is right next to the HSBC Building. it was built in 1927 and continues to serve as customs house.

Art Deco Buildings in the Bund

The Bǎilǎohuì Dàshà (百老汇大厦, Broadway Mansions) is a 19-floor tall hotel. It opened in 1934.
The Bǎilèmén (百樂門, Gate of 100 Pleasures) is better known as the Paramount. The building dates from 1933 and houses a nightclub.
The Capitol Theatre.
The historic Dàguāngmíng Diànyǐngyuàn (大光明电影院, Grand Theatre) is also known as the Grand Cinema. It was built in 1933 at 216 West Nanjing Road.
The Guójì Fàndìan (国际饭店, Park Hotel) opened in 1934. The 83.8 m tall building has 22 floors and it remained the tallest building in Asia until 1963. It is located at 170 Nanjing Road West.
The Hépíng Fàndiàn (和平饭店, Peace Hotel) opened in 1929. Parts of the hotel are housed in the HSBC Building.
The Metropole Hotel.
The Wàibáidù Qiáo (外白渡桥, Waibaidu Bridge) was built in 1908.

Other Points of Interest

Shanghai's Chinese City is a maze of narrow streets; densely populated, with many people packed onto each other on a relatively small area.
cruises on the Huangpu River usually leave from the Bund. During such a cruise, you will see all aspects of Shanghai, including the high-rise central area, the Bund and the riverfront activity.
The Huzhou Pagoda is a 19 m-high tower that was built in 1079. Around 1800 it started tilting and nowadays its inclination exceeds that of the tower at Pisa in Italy. It is located at Tianmashan in Songjiang county.
The Jade Buddha Temple is located in Anyuan Road, In the Jing'an District, along the Suzhou Creek. It can be visited during a river cruise.
The Matsue Hōtō (松江方塔, Songjiang Square Pagoda) is a Buddhist pagoda that was built in the 11th century. The pagoda is 48.5 meters (159 ft) tall. It is officially called Xìng Shèng Jiào Sì Tǎ (兴圣教寺塔, Xingshengjiao Temple Pagoda).
The Shànghǎi Túshū Guǎn (上海图书馆, Shanghai Library) contains some 58 million volumes and it is housed in a 24-storey building. It was originally established in 1958.
Handicrafts can be seen at the Shànghǎi Zhǎnlǎn Zhōngxīn (上海展览中心, Shanghai Exhibition Center), west of the city center. The building dates from 1955.
Zhēnrú Sì (真如寺, Zhenru Temple) was originally built during the Song dynasty (960–1276). In 1320, it was constructed at its present location., but it has been repaired and reconstructed many times since then. During the Taiping Civil War (1859-1864) the temple was devastated and during the Cultural Revolution, its treasures were destroyed. In 1979, it was restored. The temple's main building is Dàxióngbǎodiàn (大雄寶殿, the Mahavira Hall).
The Zhōngguó Guójiā Guǎn (中国国家馆, China Pavilion) was constructed for the Shanghai Expo of 2010. After the exposition, in 2012, it was converted into the China Art Museum. The building is locally known as Dōngfāng zhī Guān (东方之冠, the Oriental Crown).

Skyscrapers

Shanghai-Lujiazui features numerous skyscrapers. The most prominent ones include:
- The Jīnmào Dàshà (金茂大厦, Jin Mao Tower) is 421 m (1,381 ft) high. It has an observation deck on the 88th floor.
- The Shànghǎi Huánqiú Jīnróng Zhōngxīn (上海环球金融中心, Shanghai World Financial Center) is 492 m (1,614 ft) high. Its observation deck sits at 474 m (1,555 ft) above ground level.
- The Shànghǎi Zhōngxīn Dàshà (上海中心大厦, Shanghai Tower) is 632 m (2,073 ft) high, making it the tallest building in China. It was completed in 2015 and it has 128 floors. It features several observation decks, the highest of which is called the 'Top of Shanghai'. It is on the 121st floor at an elevation of 562 m (1,844 ft), making it the highest observation deck in the world.
- The nearby Dōngfāngmíngzhū Guǎngbò Diànshì Tǎ (东方明珠广播电视塔, Oriental Pearl Tower) is a futuristic looking TV tower in the Lujiazui District. Construction took place from 1991 to 1994 and it remained the tallest structure in Shanghai until 2007, when the nearby World Financial Center was built. The tower has several observation decks, some of which feature panoramic glass floors; only for those without fear of heights.
Outside of Lujiazui are also numerous skyscrapers, including:
- The Běi Wàitān Guójì Kèyùn Zhōngxīn/bái Yùlán Dàshà (北外滩国际客运中心/白玉兰大厦, White Magnolia Plaza) is a 319.5 m (1,048 feet) tall skyscraper that was completed in 2017.
- The Shànghǎi Shìmào Guójì Guǎngchǎng (上海世茂国际广场, Shimao International Plaza) is located in Huangpu. It was completed in 2006 and it is 333.3 m high.
- The Huì dé Fēng Guójì Guǎngchǎng (会德丰国际广场, Shanghai Wheelock Square) is a 58-storey skyscraper in the Jing'an District.

Museums

Aurora Art Museum.
Dǒng Hàoyún Hángyùn Bówùguǎn (董浩云航运博物馆, C.Y. Tung Maritime Museum) is located in the Shanghai Jiao Tong University. Its exhibition includes historic maps, photographs, archival material, maritime trade routes and artifacts.
The Guangfulin Relics Park is an archaeological site in the Songjiang District. It is an archaeological site, where items from 3000 BC have been found.
The Lóng měishù Guǎn (龙美术馆, Dragon Art Museum) is commonly known as the Long Museum. It has several different branches. The museum opened in the Pudong District in 2012 and in West Bund in 2014.
Shànghǎi dù Shā Fūrén Là Xiàng Guǎn (上海杜莎夫人臘像館, Madame Tussauds Shanghai) is a wax museum on the 10th floor of the New World Department Store, in Nanjing Xi Road. It ooened in 2006.
An interesting museum is the Shànghǎi Bówùguǎn (上海博物馆, Shanghai Museum) on the People's Square (formerly Renmin Square). It has a fantastic exhibition of ancient Chinese art. The museum was founded in1952, but the current building dates from 1996.
The Shànghǎi Chéngshì Guīhuà Zhǎnshì Guǎn (上海城市规划展示馆, Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Center) is located on People's Square, adjacent to the municipal government building. The museum has displays on Shanghai's urban planning and development.
Shànghǎi diànyǐng Bówùguǎn (上海电影博物馆, Shanghai Film Museum) is located at 595 North Caoxi Road in the Xuhui District. The museum has a collection of historic film relics.
The Shànghǎi dāngdài Yìshù Bówùguǎn (上海当代艺术博物馆, Power Station of Art) is a contemporary art museum that is housed in a former power plant on the site of the Expo 2010 in the Huangpu District.
Shànghǎi dāngdài Yìshù Guǎn (上海当代艺术馆, Museum of Contemporary Art Shanghai [MoCA]). It opened in 2005.
The Shanghai Entomological Museum.
The Shanghai International Wine & Spirits Museum.
The Shanghai Museum of Public Security.
The Shanghai Museum of Traditional Chinese Medicine.
The Shànghǎi Kējì Guǎn (上海科技馆, Shanghai Science and Technology Museum) is located in the Pudong District. It was established in 2001.
The Shànghǎi Shì Lìshǐ Bówùguǎn (上海市历史博物馆, Shanghai History Museum) is dedicated to the history of Shanghai. Its oldest items date from around 4000 BC. The museum opened to the public in 1984.
Shànghǎi Wàitān Měishùguǎn (上海外滩美术馆, Shanghai Bund Art Museum) is better known as the Rockbund Art Museum. It is a contemporary art museum, located in Huqiu Road. It is housed in the former Royal Asiatic Society building, which was completed in 1933.
Shànghǎi Yóutài Nànmín Jìniànguǎn (上海犹太难民纪念馆, Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum). was established to commemorate the Jewish refugees who fled to Shanghai during World War II to escape the Holocaust in Europe. The museum is located in the former Ohel Moshe, or Moishe Synagogue. it is located in the Tilanqiao Historic Area of the Hongkou District.
Shanghai Water Displaying Hall.
The Shànghǎi Zìrán Bówùguǎn (上海自然博物馆, Shanghai Natural History Museum) was established in 1956 and it was originally housed in the 1923 Shanghai Cotton Exchange Building. In 2015, it was moved to its current location in the Jing'an Sculpture Park. The museum has a collection of almost 500,000 specimens of animals and plants.
Tiān Mā Wénhuàguǎn (天妈文化馆, Shanghai Mazu Cultural Palace) is also known as Tiān Fēi Gōng (天妃宫, Tianfei Palace) and Tiān Hòugōng (天后宫, Tianhou Temple). It was originally built in 1883, on Henan Road, just north of Suzhou Creek in central Shanghai. After the Songjiang Square Pagoda was renovated in the mid-1970s, a park was created in the area and the Shanghai Mazu Cultural Palace was moved to its current location in 1978.
Yuz Museum.
The Zhōngguó Hánghǎi Bówùguǎn (中国航海博物馆, China Maritime Museum) is housed in a distinctive building that was completed in 2010.
Zhōnghuá Yìshù Gōng (中华艺术宫, China Art Museum). The museum is housed in the China Pavilion building that was originally built for the Shanghai Expo of 2010.

Transportation

Shanghai has rail and air connections with most other cities in China. Hongqiao airport is 18 km from the Bund. It has a superfast magnetic levitation (maglev) train connections with Shanghai. The system was the world's first maglev train. It was inaugurated on 31 December 2002. There are ferries up the Yangzi River and the coast around Shanghai can be explored by boat as well. There are also numerous bus connections with places in the adjoining provinces. Buses are very crowded however.

Local buses are very crowded as well. Walking in Shanghai is not a good idea in large parts of the city, as most places are packed with cars, deadly traffic, building sites and jam-packed walkways that will put you off the idea of exploring the city on foot. On the other hand, there are some nice areas, which are excellent to stroll around. Shanghai's subway system is small but excellent. There are many taxis available in Shanghai.

One of Shanghai's main attractions is its shopping possibilities. Along Nanjing Donglu and in Frenchtown are numerous excellent places to find good bargains.

Accommodation and food

The Yunnan Road Night Market west of the Bund on Nanjing Lu is another interesting place that should not be missed. It is like a small nightly festival of food and it is not too expensive either. Nanjing Lu is Shanghai's prime food area. Anything imaginary is available there and gets eaten. Don't go there if you have a weak stomach. 'Normal' food is available in the Old French Concession Area. Accommodation is concentrated on the Bund, although there are numerous hotels in other parts of the city as well. Many hotels in the Bund offer free shuttle buses to central Shanghai.

Shanghai is located on the southern estuary of the Yangzi River, some 1,060 km southeast of Beijing. The Huangpu River flows through the city.

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