The Bund’s Exotic Architectural Complex is located on the west bank of the Huangpu River, stretching from the Waibaidu Bridge in the north to Jinling East Road in the south. It is a 1800-meter-long street lined with 52 historically significant buildings of diverse styles and exotic flavors. This area has become one of the major attractions of The Bund, offering a glimpse into the century-long transformation of Shanghai. Since the 1840s when Shanghai was opened as a trading port, The Bund has been the center of politics, finance, business, and culture for foreign powers in Shanghai, with foreign banks, commercial firms, and clubs gathering here. Strolling along Zhongshan East First Road, you will encounter various historical buildings of different styles, such as the Customs House, the South and North Buildings of the Peace Hotel, the former HSBC Building, the Asia Building, the Waldorf Hotel, and the Union Building. These buildings feature Gothic spires, Baroque colonnades, Spanish balconies, and ancient Greek domes, as if you have traveled back to the foreign streets of the last century. At night, the area is illuminated by bright lights, making it even more pleasing to the eye. Most of these buildings have been transformed into commercial office buildings, such as the headquarters of China Pacific Insurance Company, the Royal Thai Consulate General in Shanghai, the Shanghai headquarters of China Merchants Group, the headquarters of Shanghai Pudong Development Bank, Shanghai Customs, Shanghai Municipal Federation of Trade Unions, and the Shanghai Foreign Exchange Trading Center. These buildings are not open to the public.Some buildings have become consumer centers. For example, the well-known Bund 18 was originally the headquarters of the British Standard Chartered Bank in China. The first and second floors are home to flagship stores of many international brands such as Cartier. Above are the “Bund 18 Creative Center,” a Cantonese restaurant “Beachside Building,” a Michelin three-star chef’s restaurant, and an open-air riverside bar. It is a must-visit place for enjoying Shanghai’s nightlife. The area is open all year round and accessible 24 hours a day.
