The Bund

The Bund is a waterfront promenade along the western bank of the Huangpu River in Shanghai, stretching for roughly a mile and a half and gathering 26 buildings with different European architectural styles. The facades display Romanesque, Gothic, Baroque, Neoclassical and Art Deco elements side by side.

The area developed between 1860 and 1930 into a major trading port after the Treaty of Nanking allowed foreign banks and firms to establish branches in Shanghai. British, French and American institutions built their headquarters here, which explains the architectural variety.

The old colonial buildings still carry inscriptions and facade details from the time when European trading firms had their headquarters here. Today many of these structures house banks, luxury hotels and restaurants, with their historical entrance halls and staircases often open to the public.

The promenade is quieter during the day and busier in the evening when the Pudong skyline across the river is lit up. Pedestrian crossings link the different sections, and ferries dock along the riverbank.

The buildings form one of the largest collections of Art Deco architecture outside New York and Miami, dating mostly from the late 1920s. Some facades still show original lamps and bronze fixtures from that era.