Must-see attractions in Shanghai Old City

  • My only regret is that the moment was almost too perfect...

    Yuyuan Gardens & Bazaar

    Shanghai Old City

    With its shaded alcoves, glittering pools churning with fish, plus pavilions, pines sprouting wistfully from rockeries, and roving packs of Japanese…

  • Statue detail at Confucian Temple.

    Confucius Temple

    Shanghai Old City

    A modest and charming retreat, this well-tended temple to Confucius is cultivated with maples, pines, magnolias and birdsong. The layout is typically…

  • Dajing Pavilion.

    Dajing Pavilion

    Shanghai Old City

    Dating from 1815, this pavilion contains the only preserved section of the 5km-long city walls. Also within the pavilion is a small Guandi temple, which…

  • Dongjiadu Cathedral facade.

    Dongjiadu Cathedral

    Shanghai Old City

    Just outside Shanghai Old City and once known as St Francis Xavier Church, this magnificent whitewashed cathedral is Shanghai’s oldest church, built by…

  • Power Station of Art, Shanghai China

    Power Station of Art

    Shanghai Old City

    The vast Power Station of Art in the disused Nanshi Power Plant holds modern large-scale installations, design shows and other temporary exhibitions, some…

  • Chenxiangge Monastery

    Shanghai Old City

    Sheltering a community of dark-brown-clothed monks from the Chenhai (Sea of Dust) – what Buddhists call the mortal world, but which could equally refer to…

  • Temple of the Town God

    Shanghai Old City

    Chinese towns traditionally had a Taoist temple of the town god, but many fell victim to periodic upheaval. Originally dating from the early 15th century,…

  • World Expo Museum

    Shanghai Old City

    Located at the former site of the 2010 Shanghai World Expo, this museum showcases the history of world expositions. Using old video footage, interactive…

  • Fazangjiang Temple

    Shanghai Old City

    This simple but very active temple is curiously accessed from the west, rather than the south, where the entrance to Buddhist temples usually lies. The…

  • Cool Docks

    Shanghai Old City

    The riverside Cool Docks consist of several shíkùmén (石库门, stone-gate houses) surrounded by red-brick warehouses, near (but not quite on) the waterfront…

  • Sunny Beach

    Shanghai Old City

    Life’s a beach, even in the middle of Shanghai. If the sun comes out, pop down to this small but amusing artificial strip of sand right by the river and…

  • Baiyun Temple

    Shanghai Old City

    The port-red and relatively new Taoist Baiyun (White Cloud) Temple is fronted by an entrance with twin eaves and separated from Dajing Pavilion, a…

  • Peach Garden Mosque

    Shanghai Old City

    Originally dating to 1917, this famous mosque is the main place of worship for Shanghai’s Muslims.