Old City of Shanghai

The Old City of Shanghai is a former walled settlement with narrow lanes and traditional buildings that reflect different periods of construction. The neighborhood features winding streets lined with food vendors, shops, and open-air markets where merchants and shoppers move through daily.

This area was established as a district seat around 1292 and received defensive walls in the 1500s to protect the settlement. The walls defined the city's boundaries for centuries before being dismantled in the early 1900s to allow urban expansion.

The City God Temple sits at the heart of this neighborhood, and you can watch locals light incense and leave offerings as part of daily practice. These religious customs remain active in the space, showing how spiritual traditions continue to shape how people move through and use the district.

Early morning is the best time to explore, when crowds are thinner and food vendors are setting up for the day. The walkways are pedestrian-friendly, though the narrow lanes require patience to navigate and appreciate the small shops tucked throughout.

The original street pattern follows a chess-board arrangement shaped by ancient waterways that once flowed through the settlement. This water network influenced not just the street layout, but also where residents chose to build their homes and establish their businesses.