Wudadao Cultural Tourism Area is located in Heping District, Tianjin. It is a national AAAA-level tourist attraction and a highly distinctive historical and cultural block in Tianjin. Its feature lies in the collection of architectural styles from many countries such as Britain, France, Italy, Germany, and Spain, thus earning it the reputation of "World Architecture Expo". It can be called a vivid carrier of Tianjin's modern history and culture. Most of the buildings in the scenic area were built during the late Qing Dynasty and the early Republic of China, mainly featuring style buildings. There are more than 2,000 existing style buildings of various types, among which more than 100 are listed as national and municipal cultural relics protection units. Covering an area of about 1.28 square kilometers, Wudadao area consists of five main streets - Machangdao, Munan Dao, Dali Dao, Changde Dao, Chongqing Dao - and their surrounding areas. The streets are crisscrossed, forming a unique block pattern.
History and Culture
The history of Wudadao can be traced back to the late 19th century to the early 20th century. At that time, as a treaty port, Tianjin had concessions established by foreign powers, and the area where Wudadao is located mainly belonged to the British Concession and the German Concession. During this period, many foreign nationals, compradors, and bureaucratic capitalists built residences and villas here, gradually forming a large-scale Western-style building complex.
During the Republic of China period, Wudadao became a gathering place for many military and political officials and social celebrities. For example, Xu Shichang and Cao Kun, presidents of the Republic of China, and Zhang Xueming, a patriotic general, once lived here. The activities of these historical figures have added a strong historical and cultural atmosphere to Wudadao, and each building here carries a unique historical story.
Over time, Wudadao has gradually become a microcosm of Tianjin's modern history. Its architectural style and block layout have completely retained the features of that time, providing precious material for the study of modern Chinese architectural history, social history, diplomatic history, etc.
Main Attractions
Machangdao
Machangdao is the longest street in Wudadao, with a total length of about 3,216 meters. This street got its name because it was once close to the British racecourse. There are many buildings of various styles along the street, among which Tianjin Foreign Studies University is the most famous. The main building of the university is a Gothic architecture with an elegant shape, and it is one of the landmark buildings on Machangdao. In addition, there are many historical style buildings on Machangdao, such as Geda Building, whose exterior wall is decorated with porcelain pieces, porcelain bottles, etc., which is unique.
Munan Dao
Munan Dao is about 2.08 kilometers long and is famous for planting crabapples. Every spring when crabapples are in full bloom, the whole street is like a sea of flowers, attracting a large number of tourists to watch. There are many former residences of celebrities on both sides of the street, such as Zhang Xueming's Former Residence. It is a Spanish-style building with a quiet courtyard and a reasonable architectural layout. It is now open to the public, and tourists can walk in to feel the charm of history. There is also Sun Dianying's Former Residence, whose architectural style is eclecticism, with high artistic value.
Dali Dao
Dali Dao is about 1,745 meters long and is famous for planting Chinese roses. It is one of the most romantic streets in Wudadao. There are also various historical buildings on the street, among which Gu Weijun's Former Residence is relatively well-known. Gu Weijun was a famous diplomat in modern China. His former residence is a British-style villa with a simple and elegant architecture and exquisite interior decoration, showing the living style of that time. In addition, there are many characteristic shops and cafes on Dali Dao, providing a good place for tourists to relax.
Changde Dao
Changde Dao is about 1,219 meters long, the shortest street in Wudadao, but it has a unique charm. On both sides of the street are mostly British and French-style small buildings with low building density and a quiet and pleasant environment. Among them, No. 1 Changde Dao is a typical British-style building, whose red brick walls, pointed roofs and other elements show a strong exotic style.
Chongqing Dao
Chongqing Dao is about 1,919 meters long, and the most famous attraction on this street is the Prince Qing's Mansion. Built in 1922, Prince Qing's Mansion was originally the residence of Zai Zhen, the Prince Qing of the late Qing Dynasty. The building integrates Chinese and Western styles, with elements of traditional Chinese architecture and characteristics of Western architecture. The garden in the mansion is exquisitely designed, with pavilions, terraces, buildings and towers scattered in an orderly manner, which is a good place for tourists to learn about the life of modern mansions.
Food
Goubuli Baozi
Goubuli Baozi is a special snack in Tianjin, and there are many branches around Wudadao. Its history can be traced back to 1858. It is famous for its thin skin, large filling, soft taste and delicious flavor. There are various kinds of fillings for the buns, such as pork filling, three fresh fillings, etc. Each bun has 18 folds, and the production process is very exquisite.
Erduoyan Fried Cake
Erduoyan Fried Cake originated in 1900 and is one of the traditional flavor snacks in Tianjin. You can taste this special food in the food street near Wudadao. It uses glutinous rice as the skin, and the filling is mostly red bean paste. After frying, the outer skin is crispy, and the inner filling is soft, glutinous and sweet, which is deeply loved by tourists.
Shibajie Mahua
Shibajie Mahua, also known as Guifaxiang Mahua, was founded in 1927 and can be bought in specialty stores around Wudadao. Its mahua is made of fine materials and unique production technology. The finished product is crispy, sweet and mellow in taste, and it is easy to carry, making it an excellent gift for relatives and friends.
Surrounding Characteristic Restaurants
In addition to traditional snacks, there are many characteristic restaurants around Wudadao, covering various Chinese and Western cuisines. For example, some Russian restaurants provide authentic Russian dishes such as borscht and braised beef in a pot, allowing tourists to feel the exotic atmosphere while tasting delicious food. There are also some Chinese restaurants that focus on Tianjin local dishes, such as Zengbeng Carp and Tie Bobo Ao Xiaoyu, which are delicious and have strong local characteristics.
Tickets
It is open for free, but some attractions require separate charges.
You can search for the official public account "五大道文化旅游区" on WeChat to get the latest news.
Opening Hours
It is open all day, and tourists can visit at any time. However, some paid attractions in the scenic area have fixed opening hours. Prince Qing's Mansion is open from 9:00 to 17:30 (admission stops at 17:00) and is closed every Monday (except legal holidays); Zhang Xueming's Former Residence is open from 9:00 to 16:30 and is closed every Monday; Geda Building is open from 9:00 to 18:00.
Tour Route
Tourists can start from Machangdao, first visit Tianjin Foreign Studies University to enjoy the charm of Gothic architecture, then walk along Machangdao, pass by Geda Building to feel its unique architectural style. Then go to Munan Dao to enjoy the sea of flowers when crabapples are in full bloom in spring, and visit the former residences of celebrities such as Zhang Xueming's Former Residence and Sun Dianying's Former Residence. After that, come to Dali Dao, stroll among the Chinese roses, visit Gu Weijun's Former Residence, and take a rest in a street cafe when tired. Then go to Changde Dao to feel its quiet atmosphere and enjoy British and French-style buildings. Finally, reach Chongqing Dao and visit Prince Qing's Mansion to learn about the history and architectural characteristics of the mansion. The whole route is about 8 kilometers. It takes 5-6 hours to visit on foot, and about 2-3 hours if you choose to visit by bike.
Transportation
- Subway: You can take Tianjin Metro Line 1 to Xiaobailou Station, then walk for about 10 minutes to enter Wudadao Cultural Tourism Area; you can also take Metro Line 3 to Xikang Road Station, then walk for about 15 minutes to reach.
- Bus: There are many bus routes to Wudadao Cultural Tourism Area, such as Route 9, Route 831, Route 845, Route 902, etc. You can get off at stops such as Machangdao Station and Munan Dao Station.
- Taxi: It is very convenient to take a taxi to Wudadao Cultural Tourism Area in Tianjin. The cost varies according to the departure location. Generally, from Tianjin Station, the taxi fare is about 15-20 yuan.
- Shared Bikes: There are many shared bike parking spots around and inside the scenic area. Tourists can choose to ride shared bikes to visit Wudadao, which is flexible and convenient.
Must-Visit Attractions
- Prince Qing's Mansion: Integrating Chinese and Western architectural styles, it is one of the landmark attractions of Wudadao, covering an area of about 4,385 square meters. The building is exquisite and the garden is elegant, allowing tourists to have an in-depth understanding of modern mansion culture.
- Zhang Xueming's Former Residence: A Spanish-style building covering an area of about 1,500 square meters. It is well-preserved, showing Zhang Xueming's life story and the living scenes of that time, with high historical value.
- The Main Building of Tianjin Foreign Studies University on Machangdao: A Gothic building with a unique shape. It is a landmark building of Machangdao and one of the representatives of Tianjin's modern architecture, with great ornamental value.
- Munan Dao Crabapple Street: The scenery is extremely beautiful when crabapples are in full bloom in spring. The street is about 2.08 kilometers long, which is a good place for taking photos and checking in, allowing tourists to feel the romantic atmosphere of Wudadao.
Travel Suggestions
- The best season to visit is spring, when crabapples on Munan Dao and Chinese roses on Dali Dao are in full bloom. The scenery is pleasant and the temperature is relatively suitable for walking around.
- It is recommended to spend 1-2 days visiting, so that you can fully visit various attractions, feel the historical culture and architectural charm of Wudadao, and have time to taste the surrounding food.
- You can choose to visit by bike. There are special bike lanes in the scenic area. Cycling is not only convenient and fast, but also allows you to better enjoy the scenery along the way. The rent is generally 10-20 yuan per hour.
- When visiting the former residences of celebrities, you can hire a guide. The guide can introduce the historical background of the building and celebrity stories in detail, deepening your understanding of the attractions. The guide fee is generally 50-100 yuan per time.
- Learn about the opening hours and ticket prices of each paid attraction in advance, and arrange your itinerary reasonably to avoid affecting your travel experience due to the closure of attractions.
Matters Needing Attention
- Most of the historical buildings in the scenic area are protected buildings. When visiting, tourists should take good care of the buildings and the surrounding environment, and must not scribble, graffiti or damage the facilities at will.
- There are many pedestrians on the streets, especially in the peak tourist season. Tourists should pay attention to their own safety, abide by traffic rules, and must not reverse or overspeed when cycling.
- The internal space of some former residences of celebrities is small. Tourists should abide by the regulations of the scenic area, visit in order, and must not make loud noises, keeping quiet.
- Parking around the scenic area is relatively difficult. It is recommended to take public transportation. If taking a taxi, get on and off at the designated places.
- When visiting in summer, take sun protection measures, such as carrying sun umbrellas and sunscreen; in winter, the temperature is low, so pay attention to keeping warm.