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The Bund is one of the most familiar architectural symbols of Shanghai. The word Bund or Waitan is derived from the Anglo-Indian translation meaning “embankment along a mud-spattered waterfront”. The Bund became the most important site for the earliest foreign settlement in Shanghai after it was opened as one of the five Treaty Ports written under the Treaty of Nanjing in 1842.
Because of its proximity to the Yangtze River – the main waterway to central China, Shanghai has grown rapidly into a trade zone, commercial center and financial district for foreigners and locals alike. Anywhere you see the picture of the Bund, consciously you perceive the message "Welcome to Shanghai". It has become a major tourist destination spot in Shanghai as there is never a day without spotting a local or foreign tourist here. Tourists who come here marvel at the magnificent and glorious architectures seen across the Huangpu River in Pudong. Some of the attractions which can be seen from across the Bund are the Oriental Pearl TV Tower and the Jin Mao Tower. There are twenty-four major structures which line up along Zhongshan Lu, the highway just behind the Bund and the Huangpu River. It was first established during the 1930’s and stretches to a distance of about 1.5 kilometers. These structures are eye-catching to foreign tourists because of the western inspired styles in which the buildings were designed. The styles of architecture used the seventeen styles like the Gothic, Classical and Renaissance. With this variety of architecture, Shanghai’s Bund was once called a museum of international architecture. Starting at Yan’an Road in the south, the Bund extends all the way to the north at the Waibaidu Bridge. Aside from the twenty-four major structures on this tourist spot, the Bund also hosts a total of 52 buildings of different architectural designs; this is why Shanghai has one of the richest assortments of Art Deco styles in the world. If you are planning to visit the Bund, you can partake in the Huangpu River Cruise to get a good view of the bund’s shoreline. Tickets are available at the Bunds southern ferry port where you have a choice to pick what type of cruise you prefer. This normally depends on the duration of the cruise; a one-hour; two-hour or three-hour cruise. Without a doubt, the Bund has become a major tourist destination in Shanghai and China. This is why major developments of high rise buildings have been prohibited to ensure the preservation of the old style architecture in the area. |
