Shanghai/Old City

[[file:Shanghai banner Yu Gardens - Yu Gardens in Old City}}

The Old City is the area inside the ancient walled city of Shanghai; it is one of the most picturesque areas of the city, with many buildings in traditional Chinese style. Administratively the old city is part of Shanghai/Huangpu|Huangpu District, but it has its own distinct character and many tourist attractions so we treat it in a separate article.

Shanghai/Old City Halal Travel Guide

Map of the Old City of Shanghai - 17th century map

The city began as a walled medieval town at least 1000 years ago. The walls, built mainly for protection against Japanese pirates, ringed the city around what are today Renmin and Zhonghua Roads. The walls have been demolished, but many local residents still refer to localities by the names of the city gates - some of these have even become modern metro stops — Laoximen (old West gate) on lines Station shanghai|8 and Station shanghai|10, and Xiaonanmen (little South gate) on line Station shanghai|9}}.

During the perioid of foreign concessions (1842-1937) and the International Settlement and the French Concession developed North and West of it, but the old city remained entirely Chinese and foreigners seldom ventured there; these days there are more foreigners since the area has become one of Shanghai's main tourist attractions. The "Old Towns|Old Town" is not exclusively old; tall modern buildings have started shooting up around the two main streets of the area, but you still have a chance to take in the atmosphere if you wander into the quaint side streets.

The center of the area is around the City God Temple and Yuyuan Garden. Apart from the temple and the garden itself and the neighborhood has a large pond well-stocked with enormous and quite photogenic goldfish, a pretty teahouse in the middle of the pond, many interesting old buildings, and extensive tourist-oriented shopping.

Travel to Shanghai/Old City

31.2243|121.4862

20090510 Shanghai Yuyan 6573 - Yuyuan Gardens Yu Yuan - |Teahouse, goldfish pond and 9-bend bridge Shanghai downtown2 - |Gate into the area Shanghai downtown3 - |Fantasy-Chinese style shop buildings Shanghai downtown1 - |More fantasy-Chineses style shop buildings Yuyuang market01 - |Further fantasy-Chineses style shop buildings

City God Temple is near the center of the Old Town, and is surrounded by the central commercial area. If you speak Chinese or have the name written down, telling any cab driver either "Cheng Huang Miao" (城隍庙, "City God Temple") or "Yu Yuan" (豫园, "Yuyuan Garden") will get you to the central commercial area around the temple, though the immediate surroundings are a pedestrian-only area. If you are going anywhere else in the Old City, asking for "Nan Shi" (南市, "Nanshi" and the former neighborhood that covered the Old City) will get you to the vicinity.

The area is now well served by the metro. Line Station shanghai|10 Yuyuan Garden station, at the north end of the Old City, is not actually at the garden, but it is only a short walk and the area between is interesting, with several large markets selling knick-knacks and souvenirs. When it is completed in 2020, Line Station shanghai|14 will also come here.

Line Station shanghai|8}}//.

Telecommunications in Shanghai/Old City

Copyright 2015 - 2024. All Rights reserved by eHalal Group Co., Ltd.
To Advertise or sponsor this Travel Guide, please visit our Media Kit and Advertising Rates.