Shamian Island

Shamyan Island provides an opportunity to see what the city looked like during the era of colonization. It is difficult to find classic Chinese buildings here, the island is filled with houses with typical French windows and European bridges. For a while, you can forget that you are in a Chinese city and plunge into the European flavor. On a walk around Guangzhou, you can enjoy not only traditional Chinese architecture, but also temporarily get to an island of European tranquility.

History of the island

Shamyan Island owes this feature to the peace treaty concluded in 1861 after the end of the little-known opium war. During the conflict, Shamyan was an important point of defense. Under the terms of the agreement, this piece of Chinese land fell under the rule of the French and British. For 80 years it has been a European possession, which has affected its development. Churches and buildings with a European flavor were built on the island. Not all locals could get to the island. But in 1949, the situation changed, and Shamyan Island returned to Chinese ownership. The special architecture allowed the island to become a cultural heritage site.

Island attractions

Shamyan Island looks like a huge ship, and the streets on it are arranged in a clear order. Three streets run from east to west, intersected by five streets running from north to south. The European style of the 19th century is a distinctive feature of Shamyan, which attracts tourists. The walk should start from the main boulevard, on the sides of which the houses of the century before last stand majestically. Now they have cafes and souvenir shops. There are signs on the mansions informing tourists about the history of each building. The USSR Consulate used to be located at No. 68. Two churches were opened for the faithful: the French and the English. The date of their construction is the end of the 19th century.

There are many bronze statues on the streets of Shamyan Island. They clearly show the long history of the island. There are sculptures dedicated to ancient Chinese traditions, the era of colonization and the time after Shamyan returned to his native possessions. You can stroll through the island's parks and get some fresh air. If you are so impressed with the island that you do not want to return to the "mainland", you can stay at the hotel. After checking in, it's nice to walk along the embankment in the evening, looking into cute cafes and restaurants.

How to get

You can get to Shamyan Island by metro, the nearest station is Huangsha, then you need to cross the bridge. For a more pleasant walk, you can use the ferry, which departs from Fangcun. You will need to pay 0.5 yuan for the ticket. The island is small, so it is easy to cross on foot, especially since there is no public transport here.