Shanghai Photo Gallery - The Bund @ Night

European powers forced a number of China's ports to open for foreign trade in the 19th century. Shanghai was one of them, and various concessions were built where foreign residents followed their homeland's laws and lived within their bubbles. The major players of commerce and finance of the time built their grand buildings along the Bund.

For a memorable dinner with the grand view, head up the Three on the Bund, which has a terrace restaurant serving Western dishes.

The Fairmont Peace Hotel was built in 1930 by Sir Victor Sassoon, a businessman from an Iraqi Jewish family. Hosting diplomats and stars such as Charlie Chaplin, the former Cathay Hotel was taken over by the Fairmont Group in 2007, renovated, and reopened 3 years later.

Across the street is the Swatch Art Peace Hotel, which was formerly the Palace Hotel and built in 1906.

In 1934, the Bank of China's Board decided to build a new 18-storey head office. After opposition from the British, who had the tallest building along the Bund at the time, the final design ended up 3 stories shorter. Completed in the late 1930s, the building mixes American and Chinese styles.

Continuing north towards Suzhou Creek ...

North China Daily News Building

Bank of Taiwan

Customs House was built in 1927 and has a bell at the top of the 90m tower. Modelled after London's Big Ben and built by British clockmaker JB Joyce & Co., its hands stretch 3.17 and 2.3m long and weigh 49 and 37.5kg.

Its neighbour, the Shanghai Pudong Development Bank, originally opened for the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank in 1923. The architects were told to "spare no expense, and dominate the bund!".

Heading back, I crossed the street and returned north to admire the buildings up close.

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