The Bund, located in the center of Shanghai, is the unique architecture landscape and a not-to-miss sightseeing spot in Shanghai. The formal name is Zhongshan East 1 Road, and it is 1.5 kilometers long. Huangpu River is flowing on east side and dozens of different style buildings are standing on west side.

To talk about the history of the Bund, we have to date back to 1840 when Qing government was defeated in the first Opium War. As one of the five trading ports, Shanghai was forced to open to the western countries. From then till 1940s, the Bund became the concession occupied by British and French imperialism, and was managed and supervised in their ways. The Bund became the earliest constructed and most prosperous place in international concessions. The Bund in early period was a foreign trading center where foreign firms established and many foreign banks and domestic banks settled making it called “Oriental Wall Street”.

Most of the constructions on the Bund have been rebuilt over three times. Architects from many countries fully showed their architecture talents, making this area a striking concentration of buildings in different periods, different regions and different styles. Therefore, the Bund is also called to be “International Architecture Exhibition”.

Today, there are altogether 33 buildings on the Bund, and some of them are still in requisition of some institutions. Bund 13, the Customs Building, built in 1927, one of the most representative buildings of the Bund, now is still the resident of Shanghai Customs. Bund 14, the Bank of Communications Building, is the youngest one there, and after the founding of new China it has been used by the Shanghai Federation of Trade Unions. Other buildings are headquarters of banks and insurance companies, and also some famous international hotels, such as the Bund 1 which is China Pacific Insurance Co. headquarters, Bund 12 being the resident of Pudong Development Bank, the Peace Hotel takes Bund 19 and Bund 22 – Sassoon House which is the highest building of the Bund. Bund 3, Bund 6, and Bund 18 are renovated and developed into upscale shopping, entertainment and leisure places, becoming the landmark of luxury consumptions of Shanghai.

Shanghai Expo Tours must be the highlight if you visit Shanghai in 2010, however, if time permits, don’t hesitate to deepen your Shanghai holiday in other famous attractions. The Bund must be the best recommended one.