Shanghai’s magnificent riverside promenade, the Zhongshan Lu, also known as the Bund (Wàitan), is a remarkable example of thoughtful city planning and preservation. While strolling along the Huangpu Jiang River, you’ll almost forget you’re in the heart of China’s largest city (Shanghai has a population of more than 24 million people).
The Bund is famous for its European feel, which stems from its past as the city’s International Settlement location. It is also renowned for its 52 preserved English- and French-influenced buildings, now restaurants, cafés, stores, and art galleries. The architecture includes highlights such as the old harbor customs office with its bell tower and the majestic Peace Hotel, which represent a variety of influences ranging from Gothic to Renaissance styles.
Huangpu Park is situated along the riverbank near the northernmost point of the Bund. This little green space is attractive, beautifully planted, and a great location to unwind after a stroll along the river. The Monument to the People’s Heroes, a sizable concrete edifice that honors individuals who put their lives in danger in Shanghai’s revolutionary struggle against foreign forces, is also located in Huangpu Park. The World War Monument commemorates Shanghai-born soldiers who lost their lives in World War I.
The Customs House, an eight-story building constructed in 1927, is a further well-liked stop on any walking tour of the Bund. The Customs House has represented the Bund for a long time, together with its neighboring HSBC skyscraper. The structure is renowned for having a giant clock tower called “Big Ching.”