Stories of Shanghai Architecture

Architecture is a carrier of the historical and cultural heritage of a city and a witness of its history. A Guide to the Appreciation of Shanghai-style Architecture in the form of pictures and texts acquaint you with the historical origin, cultural connotation, and historical significance of some buildings in Shanghai. By means of architecture, the guide gives a vivid interpretation of the idea: "Architecture is readable, the neighborhood is suitable for a leisurely walk, and the city is always full of love."  

*Special thanks to the Stories of Shanghai Architecture published by the Shanghai People’s Publishing House. 

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Yuyuan Garden

No. 218, Anren Street, Huangpu District

Yuyuan Garden is the only existing ancient garden in Shanghai Old Town. With a history of more than 400 years, it can be traced back to 1559, the 38th year of Jiajing Reign of the Ming Dynasty. In 1982, it was listed as a Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level. 

Undergoing repeated restorations over the years, the present size of Yuyuan Garden is only half of that in the Ming Dynasty. But the Grand Rockery built in the Ming Dynasty has survived, and the overall layout of the garden showcases the charm of classical Jiangnan gardens.


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Building Clusters on the Bund

Huangpu District, Hongkou District, from Broadway Mansions to East Yan’an Road Intersection

Stretching over 1,000 meters long, the Bund houses China’s largest modern building clusters in various architectural styles, including veranda, neo-classical, Gothic Revival, and Art Deco. It makes the Bund a vivid miniature of modern architectural history and the “City Parlor” of Shanghai.


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Shanghai History Museum

No. 325, West Nanjing Road, Huangpu District, formerly the Shanghai Race Club

The Shanghai History Museum used to be the Shanghai Race Club. The clubhouse was founded in 1850. After Shanghai was liberated in 1949, the racecourse was rebuilt into the People’s Park and the People’s Square. The building of the clubhouse became, first, the Shanghai Museum, and later, the Shanghai Library. The two organizations moved out in succession, and the Shanghai Art Museum moved into the former clubhouse. Now the building is the home of the Shanghai History Museum (Shanghai Revolution Museum).


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Shanghai Science Hall

No. 47, Nanchang Road, Huangpu District 

The Shanghai Science Hall and the Fuxing Park next to it are both well-known landmarks in Shanghai. The building was originally the French Club built in 1904, but later was changed into an activity center for scientific workers in 1957. In 1958, the Shanghai Association for Science & Tech was established and this place became its seat. 


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Shanghai General Post Office Building

No. 276, North Suzhou Road, Hongkou District

Shanghai was the first city in China that pioneered modern postal service. In 1872, the Inspector General of the Maritime Customs Bureau suggested setting up a “head post office” by referring to the British postal system and on the basis of the customs' post offices, and to opening national postal service in places where conditions permitted. With the change of times, the post office in Shanghai Customs was reorganized as the Great Qing Imperial Post Office, and later as the Chinese Post Office. 


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Columbia Circle

No. 1262, West Yan’an Road, Changning District, formerly the Columbia Country Club

Behind the Chinese name "上生·新所" and the English name "Columbia Circle" are two unique periods of urban history, in which the site had turned from the Columbia Country Club to the Shanghai Institute of Biological Products. In 2018, the site was transformed into an all-weather urban public leisure space opened to the public.


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The Great World

No. 1, South Xizang Road, Huangpu District

Located at the intersection of East Yan’an Road and South Xizang Road, the Great World was built in 1917 and formerly known as the “Great World Amusement Park”. Once a famous amusement site in old Shanghai, the Great World is a landmark building of the city. For quite a long time, there had been a saying that “tell me not you’ve been to Great Shanghai if you haven’t been to the Great World.”

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Shanghai Concert Hall

No. 523, East Yan’an Road, Huangpu District, formerly the Nanking Theatre 

Very few of the Modern Heritage Architecture in Shanghai have been moved as a whole like the Shanghai Concert Hall. The building was formerly the Nanking Theatre and later renamed Beijing Cinema. In 1959, it was renamed "Shanghai Concert Hall". The building of classic European style has become the most important landmark in the music memory of several generations of Shanghai people.


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Grand Theatre Shanghai

No. 216, West Nanjing Road, Huangpu District

The Grand Theatre is located in the cultural hub of the People's Square. Its construction started in 1928. It used to be an entertainment complex with cinemas, dance halls, cafes, and billiard rooms. It was widely known as “the best cinema in the Far East” upon its completion back then. 


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Majestic Theatre

No. 66, Jiangning Road, Jing’an District

Built in 1941, the Majestic Theatre is a representative of Shanghai’s later Art Deco school in terms of style. Originally a famous theater for screen Hollywood films, it is now used as a comprehensive venue for screening films and staging plays. The theater located in the most prosperous area of Jing'an District has witnessed the development of Shanghai's modern film and stage industry. 


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Park Hotel

No. 170, West Nanjing Road, Huangpu District

Park Hotel, also known as the Shanghai Joint Savings Society.

The Park Hotel, also known as the Shanghai Joint Savings Society, was known as "the tallest building in the Far East." The central of its rooftop flagpole was referred to as the zero coordinate point of Shanghai. The building exemplifies the advanced technologies from all over the world at that time and witnessed a miracle in China's modern architecture industry. 


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Site of the First CPC National Congress

No. 76, Xingye Road, Huangpu District

The Site of the First CPC National Congress was once called "Li Residence." In 1921, the representatives of the CPC organizations around China and those of the Communist International gathered here for the First National Congress of the Communist Party of China and announced the establishment of China’s first Marxist political party. In 1952, a memorial hall was founded to commemorate the First CPC National Congress. In 1961, it was recognized as a Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level. 


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Cité Bourgogne

Lane 287, South Shaanxi Road, Huangpu District

Cité Bourgogne is a rather famous Shikumen neighborhood in Shanghai, featuring two Chinese archways . Both archways were inscribed with "1930" as well as names in both Chinese and French, a combination of Chinese and Western styles. The main vertical passageway runs like the spine, and the buildings in Cité Bourgogne are covered with minimalist fine bricks. 




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Normandie Apartments

No. 1842-1858, Middle Huaihai Road, Xuhui District

Normandie Apartments has been seen as a cultural symbol of Shanghai thanks to its lofty triangular foundation-fitting presence at the intersection of Middle Huaihai Road, Wukang Road, Xingguo Road, Tianping Road, and Yuqing Road. The eight-storeyed building is the oldest veranda-style apartment building in Shanghai, and the exterior of the building in in the French Renaissance style. 


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CWI Children's Palace

No. 64, West Yan'an Road, Jing'an District 

The Kadoorie Villa known as the Marble Palace is a white palace with a large lawn. The private villa once provided shelter for the Jews. In 1953, Children's Library and Children's Cultural Center founded by Soong Ching Ling merged and moved into the Kadoorie Villa with the name of CWI Children’s Palace which has remained there ever since. 


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Moller Villa

No. 30, South Shaanxi Road, Jing'an District 

The Moller Villa is a Nordic-style building with brown fire-resistant brick wall. It was originally the private residence of British-Jewish Eric Moller. Because the Moller family made their fortune in shipping, the interior is embellished with many ship elements. It is known far and wide for its unique design among building complexes in Shanghai. It is now open to the public as a hotel. 


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Former Sassoon Villa

No. 2409, Hongqiao Road, Changning District 

In 1930, the David Sassoon & Co purchased the land adjacent to the Western Suburb Golf Course at the end of Hongqiao Road to build a villa. The main building of Sassoon Villa is a typical English countryside villa. In 1989, the villa was listed as an Outstanding Modern Building in Shanghai and a Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the Municipal Level. 


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Shanghai Exhibition Centre

No. 1000, Middle Yan’an Road, Jing’an District

As the first large building and the first exhibition hall built in Shanghai in the 1950s, the entire building complex is in the Russian classical style, with part in the Baroque style. Nowadays, it remains an ideal venue for holding grand exhibitions. 


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Shanghai Oriental Pearl Radio & TV Tower

No. 1, Century Avenue, Pudong New Area

Located at the tip of Lujiazui by the side of Huangpu River, Shanghai Oriental Pearl Radio & TV Tower is one of Shanghai’s most famous tourist attractions. It has become a cultural symbol of the city with its unique design. Apart from serving as a radio & TV tower, it is also a go-to place for tourism, sightseeing, entertainment and shopping.


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Shanghai Grand Theatre

No. 300, Renmin Avenue, Huangpu District

Built in 1994, the Shanghai Grand theatre consists of an 1,800-seat Lyric Theater, a 600-seat Brick Theater, and a 300-seat Studio Theater, to accommodate performances including opera, ballet and symphony. Since its opening in 1998, the Shanghai Grand Theater has been committed to the vision of "the benchmark of Chinese theaters, the name card of urban culture, and the creative center of culture." 


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Shanghai Tower

No. 479, Lujiazui Ring Road, Pudong New Area

As the tallest building in China, the 127-storey Shanghai Tower with 9 vertical communities can accommodate 35,000 people and has five major functions, namely brand business services, super class A offices, super six-star hotels, sightseeing and culture & entertainment activities, as well as large-scale events & conferences. 


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National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai)

No. 333, Songze Avenue, Qingpu District

NECC (Shanghai) is designed to be a super center for holding exhibitions, conferences, and events and offering office space and hotel services. With a total floor area of 1.47 million square meters, it has a total exhibition area of 500,000 square meters. Every year after 2018, the building known as “Four-Leaf Clover” will stage the CIIE and serve as China’s open platform to the world.