Off Shanghai’s beaten path – Dongjiadu Catholic Church

Shanghai has historic buildings aplenty, but it is very rare to have the opportunity to peek inside them. Churches however can be a different story and Shanghai has many fabulous examples. Recently Spy Shanghai visited Dongjiadu Lu Catholic Church. Beautiful, historic, AND open to the public (services are regularly held here in Chinese, or you may visit outside these times if you ring in advance) it is well worth a visit for a look inside this grand old treasure.

Located in the southern part of the old Chinese city, Dongjiadu Tianzhutang was the first large cathedral and the first foreign built catholic church in Shanghai. Built in 1853, it is in the early Spanish baroque style. Apparently it is a copy of a European Jesuit Church, and has fabulous arched roofs, thick pillars, and lotus-designed bas-reliefs inside. Chinese text features prominently on both the inside and outside walls, and four of the bells are supposedly still original.

Across the road a beautiful old French mansion is worth a look too, although sadly you can’t go inside.

Where: 185 Dongjiadu Lu, Nanshi (west of Zhongshan Nan Lu), Shanghai

 

What to do with Shanghai’s historic, culturally significant but neglected buildings that lie on the land parcels alongside the Huangpu River?

This is a question that has been under discussion in Shanghai over the last few years. With the upcoming World Expo in 2010, Shanghai has been looking at ways to revitalize its old and forgotten central areas. In 2002, the Shanghai Municipal Government formally announced ambitious plans to redevelop both banks of the Huangpu River. The redevelopment involves an 85-kilometer stretch and a total site area covering 73 square kilometers from Xupu Bridge in the south all the way north to Wusong Port.

National Industry Bank of China Building, 14 Huqiu

One of the areas designated for redevelopment is Waitanyuan, the area heading north from the Peace Hotel to Suzhou Creek. It comprises an unbelievable wealth of historic architecture, mostly dating from the end of the 19th century to the 1930’s. This area, at the mouth of the Huangpu River and Suzhou Creek, was once the premier financial and trading center for East Asia. Today however it is badly maintained with large pockets of empty floor space, testimony to the decline in importance of the rivers for business and trade, and also to this city’s great love for glass skyscrapers, as seen in the collection of shiny new towers directly across the river.

2007 MotoGP Shanghai, China - Click on images above for track photo gallery.

The Shanghai track is a new facility, completed only a couple of years ago, designed by Herman Tilke, the German architect, designed to be primarily a Formula 1 track.

The Shanghai track is a series of long, high-speed straights linked by tight, slow turns, allowing the fastest bikes to escape and putting an end to the prospect of fairing-bashing action. Much of the problem is down to the design brief: The track layout has been chosen to resemble the Chinese character "Shang", meaning "High" or "Above", which forms part of Shanghai's name. As beautiful as Chinese ideograms are, perhaps their boxy, convoluted nature translate badly into race tracks...

Thank you to both James and Darren for providing these photos! For more moto info check out Ben and Darren's website:

http://www.motogpforum.com/

Rob Mitchell - enjoy!

We featured the Thames Town a few months ago but being the London Lover that I am - we are going to feature it again!

Click here for more photos from Scandinavian Sensation 2dogs, who quotes;

 '"Little Britain" is not just a BBC produced comedy show. It also a 'village' under the name of Thames Town and located in Songjiang District , Shanghai. I leave it to others to judge if it is a comedy or not.'

This weekend Shanghai welcomed world-class athletes and kicked off premier action sports competitions in style for Asia's biggest action sport competition!

At the KIC Jiangwan Sports Center, Guohe Road Shanghai, spectators were wowed by an assortment of Aggressive In-line, BMX, Moto X, Skateboarding and Sport Climbing over fantastically designed courses!

For full coverage on this fantastic event please visit:

kiaxgamesasia.com