Former Shanghai Commercial and Savings Bank in Nanjing, Colonial banking architecture in Nanjing, China
The Former Shanghai Commercial and Savings Bank is a banking structure in Nanjing featuring European-inspired facades, stone ornaments, and a spacious entrance hall. The interior layout reveals original counters and office areas that remain visible today.
The structure was built in the early 1900s as a symbol of Nanjing's growing connections to international financial networks. Its founding reflected the moment when Chinese and Western business approaches first directly met.
The building shows how Western banking practices entered China and blended with local trading customs. Visitors can see today how the interior design with its grand proportions was meant to attract wealthy customers.
The structure sits centrally and is easy to reach, with guides on site explaining the various rooms and architectural details. The best time to visit is on quiet weekdays when fewer people are inside.
Preserved photographs show employees in formal clothing working at wooden counters beneath ornate ceilings. These images offer a rare glimpse into the daily operations of an earlier financial system.
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