Tianjin is one of the oldest Chinese cities, a major tourist, cultural and historical center. It is located near Beijing. Population – 15.7 million people (as of 2015). To the east lies the waters of the Bohai Bay, to the north the Great Canal of China. Tianjin is a large port city, famous for its distinctive culture and original architecture, a city that honors folk traditions and customs.
A little history
The history of Tianjin dates back to ancient times (1404), during the reign of the Tang Dynasty. During this period of time, the city served as a royal port. During the reign of the Chinese Emperor Yongle, fortifications began to grow here like mushrooms. And Tianjin turned into a major military center. Over time, its territory expanded, and numerous civilian buildings appeared around it. Over the long 600 years, a lot has changed. The frames between ancient structures and modern buildings have become worn out. Currently, Tianjin is a huge metropolis with its own unique flavor, incredible charm and charm. Walking along its long winding streets, tourists will be able to admire ancient colonial buildings and restaurants designed in the oriental national style. And then visit one of the new areas of the city - stay in a luxury hotel, have a meal in a luxurious restaurant, wander through elite boutiques.
Sights of Tianjin
Old town
You can start your tour of Tianjin from the colorful quarters of the Old City. The first stop on the journey is the Dabeiyuan Buddhist Temple, dating back to the 17th century. This is a small oblong structure, created in the likeness of ancient Chinese temples. In the main hall there is a huge sculpture of Buddha. The Ancient Culture Street stretches straight from the Dabeiyuan Gate. This is a large, well-equipped pedestrian area. A huge number of shops, cafes and restaurants are concentrated here. The buildings were built relatively recently, but are still distinguished by their characteristic oriental style. In the middle of the street there is a city square. Its main decoration is the Palace of the Heavenly Empress - an ancient Chinese temple.
The next point of the excursion is the Temple of Confucius, dating back to the 15th century. A Buddha statue greets visitors right at the entrance. There is a wonderful picturesque park around the complex. The building is decorated with traditional paintings, carved patterns and snow-white balustrades. Red two-tier roof with characteristically curved corners. Not far from the temple there is a city museum, the exhibition of which includes a variety of household items - dishes, clothes, tools. Another attraction in this area is the Theater Museum. Performances are still staged within its walls. In the adjacent rooms you can see several collections of old photographs and books dedicated to the theater.
Hepingqu District
The next point of the excursion is the Hepingqu district. It's like he's stuck in the colonial era. Its territory is divided into several concession zones. And the variety of architectural styles makes your head spin. Here you can find strict English classics, exquisite French pomp, German restraint and Japanese motifs. Particularly noteworthy are the old bank building and the neo-romantic French church. On the territory of Hepingqu there are about two hundred private villas owned by foreigners. Connoisseurs of oriental culture and history simply must visit the building of the Tianjin Museum. It houses two museums at once - a historical museum and an art gallery. On display for tourists are ancient photographs, national dishes, porcelain and bronze items, ancient manuscripts, and calligraphy.
Other attractions
To the north of Tianjin stretch the Panshan mountain ranges, a favorite place of the Chinese emperors. A wonderful natural resort, impressive with its magnificent natural scenery. The Temple of the Lonely Heart is a fairly ancient structure, surprising with its powerful wooden structure. Within the city there are a huge number of natural parks and gardens. Among the most popular is the Garden of Tranquility. There are beautiful carved terraces, a long picturesque alley, numerous pavilions, artificial ponds, cozy gazebos and colorful flower beds. Tianjin Water Park is another wonderful holiday destination. On its territory there are three delightful lakes and nine small green islands. The doors of the city zoo are open for the youngest guests. Several hundred rare animals and birds live within its walls.
City within a city
In the west of Tianjin is the small charming town of Yangliuqing. It is famous for its numerous craft workshops producing New Year's paintings. At first they were created by hand, painted with traditional patterns and fancy designs, and then they began to be printed on machines. Bright, saturated colors are a prerequisite for production.
Haihe River
Mother River - that’s how the locals dubbed Haihe. Wonderful boat trips are available for tourists. The main asset of Haihe is the Jintangqiao Bridge. Its unusually fragile design surprises and fascinates. The steps leading to the bridge are made of thick glass. The bridge itself is a true architectural masterpiece. Illuminated by hundreds of blue lanterns, it seems airy and weightless.
Teahouses Tianjin
Teahouses in Tianjin are the pride of local residents and their treasure. Here you can have a great rest and relaxation. You can come here in any clothes, strict style is not necessary. Visitors are entertained by cheerful “xiangshengs”, masters of jokes and jokes. Customers are served a fragrant tea drink, prepared in China, in a strict, consistent ceremony.
Tourist information
Getting to Tianjin is not particularly difficult. In the vicinity of the city there is an international airport that receives dozens of flights daily from Japan, Singapore, Korea, Malaysia and other cities in China.
Guwenhuajie Street can easily be called one of the main attractions of the city of Tianjin. Another name for Guwenhuajie is Ancient Culture Street. It is very small - only 600 meters, but over 100 different shops are concentrated on it. Here you can buy everything your heart desires, from old books and antiques to ancient Chinese manuscripts and products of traditional Chinese crafts.
Guwenhuajie Street is lined with ancient buildings. Most of them have a long history, dating back to the beginning of the fourteenth century. Particular attention should be paid to the small Tianhou Temple, comfortably located among countless shops and stalls.
Tianjin Museum
The Tianjin Folklore Museum is located on the territory of the Empress Palace, built back in 1326. The huge palace covers an area of 5 thousand square meters and in itself is a priceless exhibit.
The Tianjin Museum was founded with the purpose of studying local customs and mores. It is divided into three thematic exhibitions, each of which introduces visitors to a particular page in the history of Tianjin.
The first exhibition is entirely dedicated to the history of the city's educational development. The second clearly tells about the morals and customs of the local residents. The third tells about the troubles of the city and the main patroness of Tianjin.
The museum is open from 9:00 to 17:00.
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Gulou Street
In the heart of the old city of Tianjin, there is an amazing place that allows you to best experience the atmosphere of Ancient China. This place is Gulou Pedestrian Street. Many of the buildings on this street date back to the Qing and Ming dynasties.
Today Gulou Street is a developed shopping and tourist area. There are a great variety of shops, street stalls, restaurants and entertainment centers here. Particular attention should be paid to the delicacies prepared by local traders.
While walking around Gulou, you can purchase rare works by Chinese masters - calligraphic paintings, sculptures, etc. The center of Gulou Street is the ancient Bell Tower. Near it you can find a theater and arches from the Qing times.
The most popular attractions in Tianjin with descriptions and photographs for every taste. Choose the best places to visit famous places in Tianjin on our website.
Tianjin is China's largest international port, an industrial city with a highly developed infrastructure, but at the same time it is also the center of the country's historical heritage. Many attractions are located here. In addition, Chinese and European architecture are closely intertwined in the city: German, English and Italian quarters coexist within the same district. The city at night is truly breathtaking: buildings, bridges, parks - everything shimmers with a multitude of lights. You will definitely fall in love with Tianjin.
Getting to Tianjin
Tianjin Bihain International Airport is 15 km from the city center. The bus will take you to the city for $4. The cost of a taxi will be about $9-13; it is recommended to order a car at one of the airport counters.
The city can also be reached from other major metropolitan areas in China. An economy class train from Beijing will cost $10, a high-speed train - $20, travel time: half an hour. Tianjin Railway Station also receives trains from Shanghai.
The city is connected to other major cities in China by bus routes. A ticket from Beijing will cost about $5.
There are six national highways passing through Tianjin: 102, 103, 104, 105, 112 and 205. In addition, there are a number of expressways that are inaccessible in spring and autumn due to heavy smog. So adjust your car routes in advance.
When is the best time to visit Tianjin?
In the winter months, the temperature in the city drops below zero, and in the summer it rises to 30 degrees. From the point of view of a comfortable stay, it is worth choosing the spring-autumn period for traveling to Tianjin. The city has a huge number of parks and if you want to catch the trees in bloom, it is better to plan your trip for March or April.
Prices in hotels and shops
The city's most famous restaurants include: Goubuli - where a couple of buns will cost you $10, ErduoyanZhagao, GuifaxiangMahua. The city's eateries have a huge amount of seafood on their menus. One of the traditional dishes of China is fried rice cakes.
Tianjin has never been a tourist center, so you should take care to select and book a hotel in advance. With the almost complete absence of English-speaking taxi drivers, finding a hotel can turn into a living hell. Budget hostels start at $10 (for example, YangliuqingManor), better hostels will charge $20. A mid-level hotel will give you a room for $40. Luxurious, beautifully decorated hotels equipped with modern equipment and air conditioning systems will cost no less than $100 per night.
In Tianjin, along with modern shopping centers, you will also find traditional shops. One of them, Shengsifu Maodian, has a hundred years of operation and all this time has been selling headdresses that have become famous even abroad. Another, with a history of work of just under a century, Laomeihua Seedyan specializes in shoes for the elderly - what is not a wonderful and functional gift? The city has two shopping streets: Binjiang Dao and Heping Lu - most of the best malls and department stores are located here. Tea, ceramic figurines, and antiques are usually brought as souvenirs from Tianjin. The latter can be purchased at the antique market in, but here you need to know how to bargain.
Moving around the city
One of the most convenient types of public transport in the city is the metro. There are two underground transport service providers in the city. Tianjin Metro: 3 out of 5 lines are currently operational. BinhaiMassTransit - 2 lines and 24 stations.
Tianjin is served by a network of bus routes. Within the city, the fare will be $0.2. Routes are laid throughout the city, ground transport runs strictly on schedule.
What interesting sights to see in Tianjin
Beining Park is a huge area with ponds and pavilions, which are connected by 29 arched bridges. Walking through the park you will be immersed in an atmosphere of calm and tranquility, as if you had escaped from a noisy city to the ends of the Earth. The park is home to Zhiyuan Pagoda. There is also a zoo in the city, where more than 3,000 animals have found their home. Be careful: entrance to each zoo pavilion is paid separately. The aquarium introduces visitors to a wide variety of marine life, and you can also watch an unforgettable dolphin show.
The water park is the largest city park. The city's first tallest Ferris wheel is located here. You can rent a boat or speedboat to travel around the park's lakes. On a holiday, an impromptu show of local musicians in national costumes takes place at the entrance to the park.
The Garden of Tranquility is the residence of the last Chinese Emperor. Combines different styles of architecture: Japanese and Spanish.
The Chinese House Museum on Shi Feng Road is a priceless building. Its decoration uses thousands of ancient porcelain items, hundreds of jade figures, tons of crystal and agate. Truly a royal scale. There is a huge relief of a dragon on the roof of the building.
On Gulou Pedestrian Street you will find many ancient buildings from the Ming era and fully experience the atmosphere of Ancient China. Here you can also buy works by Chinese masters in one of the countless shops: popular prints, kites, clay figurines, calligraphic paintings, etc.
Dabei Monastery (Monastery of Deep Compassion) is the largest and oldest Buddhist monastery in the city. It was created during the Ming Dynasty and reconstructed during the reign of Emperor Kangxi in the Qing Dynasty. The statue of Shakyamuni, which is located in the eastern courtyard, is simply huge - 7 meters in height, 6 tons of weight. Among the modern attractions, it is worth visiting the Tianjin TV Tower; this unique structure was built on the water.
It is worth visiting the city's unique Ferris wheel: "Eye of Tianjin". This monumental structure is 120 meters high and is built over the bridge over the Hai River. A distinctive feature of this attraction is the fully covered capsule cabins, which provide you with an all-round view. The wheel completes a full circle in 40 minutes.
Tianjin is one of the 4 central cities in China, as well as one of the largest cities in the country. The city is located on the coast of Bohai Bay, and to the north are the Yanshan Mountains. Tianjin is located 120 km from Beijing.
Attractions in Tianjin, China
The Temple of Lonely Happiness, also known as the Temple of the Great Buddha, is one of the oldest temples in China. The beautifully preserved Temple of Lonely Happiness is located in Jixian County, 113 km from the amazing city of Tianjin in northeast China.
Tianjin Tower is one of the main attractions of Tianjin city, offering beautiful views of the surrounding area.
The amazing city of Tianjin in northeast China is undoubtedly the best museum of European architecture of the 19th and 20th centuries.
The Zhou Enlai and Deng Yingchao Memorial Museum, erected in memory of the most prominent Chinese political figures of the 20th century, is located on Shuishanbeilu Road in the Nankai District of Tianjin, northeast China.
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Weather in Tianjin
Tianjin is a southern city, located at the 39th parallel, which roughly corresponds to the latitude of Athens, Madrid and Ashgabat.
However, the climate of Tianjin is similar to the climate of Vladivostok and Korea, having a pronounced monsoon character. In winter, cold northern winds blow from Siberia, in summer - southern winds from the South China Sea, bringing hot, muggy weather with a disproportionate amount of precipitation. The climate is therefore temperate monsoon.
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Tourists arrive in Tianjin (China) from Beijing by high-speed trains. Travel time does not exceed thirty minutes. A few years ago this route took an hour and a half. The intervals between flights are short. Trains depart from the platform of the capital's Southern Railway Station. The ticket price depends on the class and ranges from 58-99 yuan.
Geography and climate
Tianjin (China) occupies the northern lands of the country. The metropolis is subordinate to the Central Region of the People's Republic of China. The city is recognized as the third largest in the country. His possessions stretch along and border with which means the settlement has access to the Yellow River. The closest neighbor is Hebei Province. The relief of the region is represented by flat terrain.
Its proximity to provides the region with warm and humid weather. Sultry in summer and moderately cool in winter - this is how Tianjin can be described, whose climate is characterized as continental. The swimming season in the province begins in June and ends in September. The coldest month is February. Maximum precipitation falls in July, but the beginning of autumn pleases travelers with an abundance of sunny hours. October is the best time for leisurely walks and excursion holidays. The number of clear days during this period exceeds 27.
Demography and economics
The municipality is formed by rural and urban settlements, the number of inhabitants exceeding 14 million. Noisy and polyphonic, authentic and high-tech - this is the modern metropolis of Tianjin, with a population of 10 million people. Representatives of fifty nationalities and small nationalities are registered on its territory. The lion's share of the city's inhabitants are Han Chinese, Koreans, Mongols, Hui and Manchus.
The region's industries include chemical enterprises, textile factories, automobile factories, mechanical engineering and metalworking. The oil production industry is actively developing. Agriculture accounts for 40% of GDP. The province produces corn, rice and wheat. Fishing is underway. Tianjin (China) is part of a special economic zone within the Bohai Ring.
Colonial past
Back in the middle of the 19th century, which in the history of the country was marked by two opium wars, the territory of the city was farmed out to European traders. Echoes of those times can still be seen on the original Chinese streets. The British concession has been preserved in its original appearance. These are houses adjacent to each other, and pointed tiled roofs, and openwork carvings of a cast-iron fence.
There is also an arena for horse racing in Tianjin, outside of which skyscrapers typical of the Celestial Empire rise. A similar fate befell many coastal Chinese cities: Shanghai, Hong Kong, Dalian, Xiamen and others.
Historical heritage
You can get acquainted with the traditional culture of the municipality on the tourist street Gu Wenhua Jie. There are many souvenir shops, shops selling incense, amulets and handicrafts of local artisans.
There is a special atmosphere at the foot of the Great Wall of China. Its skeleton offers picturesque views. Every year it becomes the venue for the Yin and Yang music festival. The central square is one of the most beautiful places in Tianjin. It so happened that the district, like many Chinese cities, grew around her in an intricate labyrinth.
Parks and squares
Shuishang Park, Tianjin People's Park, Haihe Bund Park, Beining Park, Xigu Park are the main recreational areas of the district. The most popular recreation area for residents and visitors in the city of Tianjin (China) is the Central Park. Its shady alleys wind around shrub-covered gazebos and plaster sculptures. During the daytime, it is absolutely safe to walk there. People can have picnics on the spacious lawns, and swans can be watched from the wooden benches surrounding the lake.
The botanical garden introduces guests to the tropical flora of the country and neighboring regions. Its territory is amazing in scale. You can wander around it for hours.
Museums
The main historical museum of the city of Tianjin (China) is located in Yinhe Square, which is located within walking distance from the main transport arteries of the metropolis. Even a cursory inspection of the exhibits will take a whole day. Within its walls, all the milestones in the development of the province, touching on the years of the Opium Wars, as well as the revolutionary past and communist present of the country, are clearly and truthfully presented.
The Ankint Street Temple is a dedicated open-air museum. It was once part of an ancient settlement. The Museum of Science and Technology deserves close attention. It is located on Long Chang Street. Its sections are interesting not only for adults, but also for preschoolers.
Architecture
The porcelain house is rightfully recognized as the hallmark of the city of Tianjin, whose sights amaze the imagination of a sophisticated traveler. The entrance ticket costs 50 yuan. Students receive a discount. The complex itself is small, but worth the money spent on visiting it.
The roof, columns, doors, building decor and walls - absolutely everything in it is made of porcelain tableware. The courtyard is almost always crowded, camera shutters are clicking, and fluent English-speaking guides can be heard. There is a souvenir shop selling jewelry on its territory.
The TV tower is another place that is mentioned in guidebooks. Finding her won't be difficult. It rises in the southwest of the city.
