Quay of the Waitang: history

The most famous sight of Shanghai is its embankment, the Waitan, whose name is literally translated as "coastal strand". Local people do not like to remember the colonial past of this place, so this street is called as Zhongshan Dong. Tourists in this area can see the amazing structures of the past centuries, located on one side of the river, and on the other side of Huangpu contrasting with them modern skyscrapers and a television tower.

Time travel

The area in which the embankment of the Waitang (Shanghai) is located, is called the Bund and means "berth at the dirty shore". This designation to this place was invented by Europeans, since earlier settled here was an English settlement, which later became international.

The first building here was erected in 1846 by a British company, which opened its office in this area. After that, along the embankment, consulates, banks, hotels, mostly in the European style, began to stand out. Thus, by the end of the nineteenth century the Bund turned into a real financial center of East Asia.

In the early twentieth century, the Art Deco style came here, and many people, to admire the grandeur of these structures, sailed on excursions along the banks of Huangpu, renting junks. Shanghai, the embankment of the Waitang (50 years) became a symbol of elegance and success of this time. After the communist revolution, many offices of trade organizations were closed, and hotels and clubs changed their original purpose.

In recent decades, in addition to all historic buildings, a large number of buildings have been erected in a modern style and a wall has been erected to prevent flooding. It has a height of more than 750 meters, so it also serves as a wonderful place to explore the surrounding sights.

Description

At present, for Chinese and visiting tourists, the embankment of the Waitang is an architectural symbol of the city. It has a length of one and a half kilometers and is located on the west bank of the Huangpu River.

In the southern part of this place there is a tourist pier where you can rent boats and boats for water walks. Some people say about the Bund district that this is a small piece of Europe in the heart of China. Here are buildings built in the ancient Greek style, as well as having the architecture of the Renaissance.

In the dark hours of the day, you can see how hundreds of neon lights with the names of the world's most famous brands burn over the embankment, as well as brightly lit skyscrapers and high-rise buildings. A large number of various exotic plants and trees grow around all the buildings.

For the sake of preserving such a unique exhibition of world architectural heritage in this area construction is strictly prohibited. Therefore, its historical appearance, the embankment of the Vaitan does not change with the years, but only acquires attractiveness and spirituality.

Majestic structures

Among the buildings located in this area the most popular are such buildings:

• The Shanghai Foreign Trade Department is a massive structure erected in the 1920s. Its distinctive feature are Roman arcades and columns.

• The TV Tower "Eastern Pearl" has the brightest highlight and consists of several spheres. This building was the first high-rise building in the area.

• Shanghai World Financial Center - it is popular with tourists due to its unusual shape. Therefore, people among themselves call it an "opener".

• The building of the Bank of China, built in 1936 in the style of rational modernity. At that time it looked very interesting and unexpected. After this construction began to appear a lot of high-rises with a similar architecture.

• The Shanghai customs house, built in 1927. It is recognizable due to the large clock located on its walls.

• HSBC Bank is a luxurious, impressive building. Previously, there was a municipality, and at the moment there is a financial institution Pudong.

• The Peace Hotel is considered one of the most popular buildings in the area. Once here was the office and apartment of the so-called host of half of Shanghai - Sir Ellis Sassoon. Tourists are very fond of taking pictures against the backdrop of this hotel.

What to see?

But the embankment of Vaitan attracts not only connoisseurs of architecture. There are many other local attractions. Among them the most famous are the following:

• A monument erected in honor of folk heroes. It was installed at the end of the twentieth century and consists of three large rifles, inclined to each other.

• The monument dedicated to the uprising of Shanghai in 1927. It is located in Huangpu Park and looks very powerful.

• Museum "Embankment of the White". The photos in his galleries will tell the whole history of this area, as well as tell a lot of interesting facts and details of its development.

In addition, there is a huge number of all kinds of restaurants, cafes and shops.

Interesting to know

It turns out that when foreigners lived in these places, they did not respect the real masters of the country very much. This is evidenced by a sign hung in the middle of the nineteenth century at the entrance to Huangpu Park, on which it was written: "Chinese people and dogs are not allowed to enter."

Another interesting fact about this area is that the film of the famous director and screenwriter Steven Spielberg, entitled "The Empire of the Sun", was shot here.

Impressions of tourists

People who were fortunate enough to visit this promenade, speak of it extremely enthusiastically. They say that the Bund is especially beautiful in the evening, when it is lit by the lights of a huge metropolis. This place is filled with its own boiling life and color.

Many argue that it is impossible to imagine Shanghai without this district. This embankment amazes with its grandeur, skyscrapers, colorful buildings and majestic structures. Therefore, even those tourists who have visited it more than once, all the same, coming to the capital of China, wish to once again get to this amazing place where the embankment of the Waitang is located. How to get there, we'll talk further.

Ways to travel

In this part of Shanghai, not a single subway station is located. But there is nothing to worry about, as you can walk to the Bund Promenade in Bund. Closest to it is art. Nanjing Road (east branch), located at the intersection of the second and tenth lines of the Moscow metro. Exit from it leads to Nanjing street, from which you can immediately see the building with a large clock, in the direction of this building and you need to go.

All who have already seen the embankment of the Waitang, really consider it an island of European culture in the heart of the capital of China.