Tianjin Things to Do

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This pavilion is located near the river in the Old Town along the Ancient Culture Street. It was rebuilt in 1427 but was part of a larger complex before then that consisted of an archway, bell tower, front palace and other pavilions. The complex fell into disrepair and only this pavilion survived.

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This temple was first constructed in 1326 during the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368). It's located along the Ancient Culture Street facing east with the Haihe River running in front of it. From the east to the west, the main buildings include the Opera Tower, the Flag Pole, the Temple Gate, the Memorial Archway, the Front Hall, the Main Hall, Canon-Storing Pavilion, the Qisheng Temple, the Bell-Drum Tower, the Side Hall and the Zhangxian Pavilion, etc. The principal building of the palace is the Main Hall constructed on a high and large pedestal, which is of the typical wooden structure style of the mid and late Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). The architectural complex is one of the three major Tianhou temples in China, and also one of the oldest extant Tianhou temples.

Admission: RMB6

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This footbridge connects the Hebei district with the Nankai district across the Haihe River. It was built from steel about 100 years ago and is the only bridge that opens horizontally in China. It used to be a floating bridge that was called Dong Float Bridge. In 1906 a joint venture between Italy, Austria and Belgium Concessions removed the floating bridge and built the first steel bridge.

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The Ancient Cultural Street is located in the Nankai District of Tianjin and was formally opened in 1986. It is located on the west bank of the Hai River, with Tianhou Temple as its geographical centre. The street features replica classical architecture in the folk style of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) which houses some rather tacky arts and crafts shops and such like but still makes for a pleasant enough walk.

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The Old Town of Tianjin lies to the west of the Hai River and was once enclosed by a wall. It features a few old relics that still survive today such as a Drum Tower, Confucian Temple, the Guangdong Guild Hall and the Tianhou Temple.

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This fascinating museum is housed within the Drum Tower in the Old town. It details by photos and models the future of urban planning in the city plus shows what the different areas of the city once looked like before they were demolished to make way for new apartment blocks. What I found interesting were the photos showing people taking all their processions on the backs of trucks to their new homes and then being shown how to operate things like hot water boilers. In fact when I visited in May 2008 there was a lot of construction happening all around the Drum Tower and Old Town.

Admission: Free

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This museum, in the Old Town near the Drum Tower, is located in the former house of Xu Puan who used to work for the British Chartered Bank. It was built in the early years of the 20th century and has been preserved as a typical example of a residence in the Old Town. The museum opened in 2004 to mark the 600th anniversary of Tianjin City and exhibits ceramics, furniture and architectural features plus a large scale model of what the Old Town would have once looked like.

Admission: RMB5

This pedestrianised street runs through the Old Town to the Drum Tower. It's lined with old looking buildings selling books, posters, arts & crafts, souvenirs and such like plus is home to a church built in 1934 and the Tianjin Old City Museum.