The Bund
The Bund is 1500 meters of Sun Yat-sen Street in Shanghai, literally translated from Chinese as the outer bank. The embankment runs along the water surface of the Huapu River; on the opposite bank you can see the high-rise buildings of the Pudong business district. People often make appointments at this place; it is often crowded, but the location is safe to visit.
Historical notes
Before moving on to the description of the Bund, we should tell you a little about the history of the area. In the mid-19th century, the territory was given to foreign investors for the construction of offices. A few years later, a developed business center was formed here. The area is built up with European neoclassical buildings. The first office was built here in 1846 by an English company. Large companies in Russia and European countries gradually began to open their representative offices. In 1901, the Russian Bank was opened. The three-story building impresses with its sophistication and decoration. The neoclassical building impresses with its interior decoration to this day.
In 1911, the construction of the non-classical Shanghai Club was completed. A building with two graceful towers. It is now home to the five-star Waldorf Astoria Shanghai hotel, located near the park. The HSBC bank building was built in 1923. The area is 23415 square meters. A dome rises above the columns. Currently, the Pongding Development Bank of Shanghai is located here. The Shanghai Customs building was erected in 1927. The building impresses with its grandeur and pomp. The 90 meter tower is a miniature of London's Big Ben. The clock mechanism was brought from England, and is clearly visible from the Bund
Notable objects
The high-rise building of the Shanghai World Financial Center attracts tourists with its unusual roof. The object is jokingly called the “Opener”; it resembles a device for opening bottles. The whimsical roof stands out at night when fully illuminated. The Oriental Pearl TV Tower is one of the first structures that travelers from the Bund could see. The object consists of several spheres and is highlighted by the brightest illumination.
The Jin Mao (Golden Prosperity) Tower is located next to the World Financial Center building. Height 400 meters, 88 floors. There are 52 floors in total - this is for office space. And the top 35 floors are a high-class hotel. Shanghai Tower was recently built in 2015. The height of the structure is 632 meters. Externally, the building resembles an object from a fantasy city of the future. For energy autonomy, wind turbines (270 pieces) are installed on the highest floors. Rainwater is specially collected to heat the entire building.
It is better to start your walking tour from the bridge, built in 1907. It doesn't matter whether you can move from north to south or vice versa. A walk around the Bund will take at least 1.5 hours. It is definitely recommended to take a boat trip, which departs regularly from the park. A river excursion will provide views of the Bund and Pundung from a different perspective. You definitely have to wait until sunset. Skyscrapers and towers are brightly illuminated. Tourists will remember the wonderful impressions of the Bund for a long time.
