Shamian Island

Shamian Island is located in the west of Guangzhou, neighboring White Goose Pond and opposite to No. 623 Road. It is a fascinating island filled with profound historical connotation and exotic sceneries. The island was leased as a territory by English and French colonists in the middle of the 19th century during which a number of western architectures were built, including a Catholic church and the former French consulate in the French leased territory, and a Christian church and the former English consulate in the English leased territory. Well-equipped public facilities were established on Shamian Island from the later 19th century to the early 20th century, and the main architectures today include churches, banks, post offices, telegraph offices, hospitals, hotels, residences, bars, clubs, and swimming pools. There are now also consulates of Poland, Germany, the USA, Czech Republic, and North Korea stationed on the island. In 1997, Shamian Island was named a National-level Cultural Relics Preservation Zone by the State Council of China.

Surrounded by water, Shamian Island covers a land area of 0.3 square kilometers and boasts a graceful atmosphere with trees plentifully planted all around. There are more than 150 architectures built in a Baroque or neo-classical style, and while some delicate and elegant, others are more towering and magnificent. In total, there are 53 architectures are listed as Key Cultural Relics under state protection by the State Council, 37 of which are private houses and 16 are under control of the local government. Recently, more than 10 structures on the island were renovated by the government, making it an attracting garden in western style. Besides the main western-style architectures, the main attractions are the White Swan Hotel, Triumph Hotel, the Moon over Goose Pond, and Zhenjiang Emplacement.

On the island, the most prominent avenue is named Shamian Street and it stretches 900 meters long by 300 meters wide with streetlamps, pavilions, and statues all along it. This beautiful area is great for photography and is home to a number of well-known buildings. The famous three-story No.2 building on Shamian Street initially functioned as a Club for customs officer, and it was built using red bricks featuring lofty attics on the south and north sides. This imitated the English romantic-style architecture of the 19th century. The four-story No. 54 building is where the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation was once located, and it features a western neo-classical style with a pavilion in the southwest. The No. 14 building, then, is a Catholic church set in a Gothic style.

Address: Liwan District of Guangzhou
Opening hours: 8:00 am to 6:00 pm
Bus routes: 1, 6, 9, 38, 57, 64, 75, 58, 277, and 81