A tour of Shanghai through its Manhole Covers
Trip Start
Sep 09, 2008
1
Trip End
Sep 10, 2008
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Shanghai,
China
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Shanghai Grand Theatre
Shanghai Grand Theatre: The Shanghai Grand Theatre is Shanghai's main venue for live theatre events. It is located at the People's Square across from the Shanghai Museum. The architectural style blends Eastern and Western architectural elements. Designed by French architect Jean Marie Charpentier, the Grand Theatre was designed to make a dynamic architectural statement. The building features three theatres: a ballet theatre, a theatre for Chinese Opera and chamber music, and a theatre for dramatic performances. The Shanghai Grand Theatre has become a bridge for cultural exchanges between China and the world.
Pudong Area
The Pudong Area: Located on the east bank of Shanghai's Huangpu River, the Pudong Area is famous for its modern architecture and observation areas. The symbol of the Pudong Area and of Shanghai itself is the Oriental Pearl TV Tower. Designed as a TV tower and as an observation platform where visitors can get a bird's eye view of Shanghai and its famous Bund. The nearby Jinmao Tower is a very interesting office building and observation platform. It has the highest hotel from the ground in the world. It is higher than the TV Tower. The newly opened Shanghai Global Financial Center is a unique building with a large square opening near the top. It is also an office building and observation platform. It has three different floors from which visitors can view Shanghai. It is very futuristic in design and its observation floors are very unique. These three buildings are symbols of Shanghai and are all located in the Pudong Area.
The Bund
The Bund: The Bund is perhaps the most famous section of Shanghai. It is a row of buildings located along the Huangpu River. The buildings were built in the early 20th century to house Western banks, customs houses, and hotels. The buildings were designed by Western architects and were built in the Western architectural style of the time. They consistuted the financial heart of Shanghai and are builtiful in their design. At night the entire Bund is beautifully lit up and look particularly stunning while taking a cruise down the Huangpu River in the evening.
Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation
Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Building The Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Building (HSBC) is the largest and most impressive building on Shanghai's Bund. Originally opened in 1923, the six storey building was designed in the neo-classical architectural style. According to contemporary accounts, the building was designed using fengshui techniques to decide when the groundbreaking and grand opening would occur. Recently the original murals inside the building were uncovered and restored adding some of the original grandeur to this already stunning building.
A boring manhole cover
A Manhole Cover of Unsurpassed Beauty: Ok, so I'm kidding. I figured as long as I was taking photos of the interesting manhole covers I might as well take a photo of the plain ones too.
The Customs House
The Customs House: Located on Shanghai's Bund, eight storey Customs House building opened its doors in 1927 and remains a custom house to this day. The building's clock tower was the largest clock in Asia when it was built and remains so to this day. The Customs House has two sections an Eastern and a Western section. It is the Eastern section that faces the Huangpu River. The Eastern section is covered with brown brick. The Greek-revival Neo-Classicist designed building is the symbol of not only Shanghai's Bund, but of Shanghai itself.
The Shanghai Stadium
The Shanghai Stadium: Built in 1997, The Shanghai Stadium was built for the eight National Games of the People's Republic of China. The 80,000 seat stadium is mainly used for soccer games. During the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the Shanghai Stadium was one of the venues used for the Olympic soccer games. The outdoor stadium besides its soccer fields has a track used for track and field events. The Shanghai Stadium's modernistic architecture is something the locals are very proud of.
China Post Museum
The Shanghai Post Museum is located inside the grand old Shanghai District Post Office building on Suzhou Bei Lu. The museum features exhibits on the history of the postal system in Shanghai, and has a comprehensive collection of Shanghai postage stamps. The building has been amazingly restored and its roof offers unbelievable views of Shanghai. It overlooks Suzhou Creek, Pudong, and the Bund. The buildings huge atrium is really impressive. Even if you are not interested in postal history, the Shanghai Post Museum's architecture and the views from its roof should not be missed. 
Broadway Mansions Hotel
Broadway Mansions Hotel is an important historical hotel. It opened in 1934 and was the tallest building on the Bund at that time. The hotel was famed for its luxury and is still a wonderful place to stay in Shanghai. The hotel featured the first roof top restaurant in Shanghai, and the first indoor parking. The hotel today is used by visiting officials and dignitaries. The Broadway Mansions Hotel's architecture is western in style and beautifully designed. The hotel's owners have worked hard to preserve the buildings original architectural elements. 
The Park Hotel
The Park Hotel opened its doors in 1934. It was the tallest building in Shanghai until the 1980's. The Park Hotel is located in the heart of Shanghai on Nanjing Road, known as China's No.1 shopping street. The elegant architecture of the Park Hotel is luxuriant in its design and art-deco in its style. Its lobby has remained unchanged and guests and visitors can enjoy its art deco elegance. The hotel has all of the finest amenities of a modern hotel, but in elegant traditional 1930's surroundings. 
Shanghai Museum of Art
The Shanghai Art Museum is located inside the clubhouse building of the Shanghai Racing Club. Located in the center of Shanghai near the People's Park and Nanjing Road, the museum is conveniently located. The museum's architecture is beautifully preserved and offer wonderful surroundings for the museum's collection of art. The five storey building has twelve exhibition halls and has frequent temporary exhibits. The museum also offers art classes for visitors. 
the Portman Ritz-Carlton
The Portman Ritz-Carlton opened its doors in 1990. The hotel is located near the heart of Shanghai. The modern architectural design, and lururiant rooms makes it a very popular place for visitors. 
First Congress Hall of the Communist Party of
The First Congressional Hall of China's Communist Party was originally built in 1916. The building is the birthplace of the communist party of China. It is composed of two traditional Shanghai two storey houses. On July 23, 1921, the first congress was held in a small living room on the first floor. The room is set up as it was during the first congress. Other parts of the buildings are filled with exhibits of documents and artifacts recording the beginning of China's communist party. 
Longhua Pagoda
The Longhua Pagoda and Temple seen today were rebuilt in 1892. Originally built in the year 242, the Longhua Temple is the oldest and largest temple in Shanghai. Due to wars and the ravages of time, most of the buildings were rebuilt during the reigns of Emperor Tongzhi and Emperor Guangxu of the Qing Dynasty. The temple occupies an area of over 20,000 square meters. The seven storey pagoda located in front of Longhua Temple. Due to its age, the pagoda is not open to the public. The temple has feels like a real, used temple, and not at all touristy. Located a ways from downtown, the temple and pagoda are really worth a visit. 
A simply utilitarian Manhole Cover
A Simply Utilitarian Manhole Cover. Granted it is ugly as sin, but I just thought it'd be fun to throw it in with the cool covers. I don't know which got more curious stares, me taking photos of the picturesque manhole covers, or me taking photos of the ugly ones. 
Saint Ignatius Cathedral
The saint ignatius cathedral was finished in 1910. Located in the Xujiahui district of Shanghai, the temple was once known as the greatest cathedral in the far east. The cathedral's Gothic Roman architecture forms a bold contrast from surrounding architecture. Built by French Jesuits and designed by an English architect, the cathedral can accommodate 2,500 worshippers. 
Unknown Building
The Shanghai Stock Exchange is one of three stock exchanges operating separately in China. It is known for its unique architectural style. The photos below I have yet to identify. I have been in correspondance with my guide in Shanghai and she is looking into it for me. In the future I will update this blog as I get the information.
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