World Financial Center in New York. Superstructures: Shanghai World Financial Center

The building of the Shanghai World Financial Center (Shanghai World Financial Center) was recognized as the best skyscraper in the world in 2008. And this is not surprising, the futuristic building with a height of 492 meters, consisting of 101 floors, cannot but arouse admiration.

The skyscraper also has an unofficial name - the Mori Tower, consonant with the name of the developer company, the Japanese company Mori Building Corporation. David Malott of New York-based Kohn Pedersen Fox was the lead designer on the project. The construction work was carried out by the Shanghai Construction Group.

The foundation stone of the SWFC was laid on August 27, 1997, but the 1998 financial crisis froze construction for several years. Later, the design of the tower underwent some changes, and further work on the object was carried out according to the updated drawings. The project was financed by large multinational companies - Japanese, Chinese corporations, as well as European and American investors. And the American investment bank Morgan Stanley coordinated the financing. According to experts, investments in the project amounted to at least $1 billion.

In 2003, active funding for the project resumed, and work began to boil. The construction of the facility took 4 years, and already on September 14, 2007, the height of the building exceeded the mark of 492m. Finishing work and communications were carried out for another year. August 30, 2008 Shanghai World Finance center received its first visitors.

Anyone who looks at the tower will find something in common with a giant bottle opener, especially the trapezoidal opening at the top of the skyscraper. Initially, the hole was supposed to be in the shape of a circle. However, the resemblance to the "rising sun" displayed on the Japanese flag caused a lot of protests among the public and the Shanghai City Hall. Then it was decided to change the shape of the hole, making it trapezoidal.

In addition to the decorative function, the hole also has a functional purpose, because at high altitude the air speed is very significant and puts serious pressure on the walls, and the hole reduces the load.

Mori Tower is the owner of the highest observation deck in the world. The first platform is located on the 94th floor (423 meters above the ground), the second on the 97th (439 meters), and the third, "Observatory - Bridge", is equipped on the 100th floor at a distance of 474 meters from the ground. All sites are equipped with the latest technology, in compliance with all safety standards.

The plans of investors included a spire, which was supposed to be placed on the roof of a skyscraper. He would have added a few more meters to the building, and made it possible to get ahead of the famous Taiwanese Taipei 101 (509.2 m). However, the designer Minoru Mori opposed the addition of the spire, and the idea never came to fruition. The parameters of the SWFC without the spire will impress anyone: the area of ​​the building is 377.300 square meters, inside the skyscraper there are 31 high-speed elevators and 33 escalators, as well as 3 underground floors.

The skyscraper is located in the prestigious area of ​​Shanghai, Lujiazui, which is called the "Chinese Wall Street". It houses offices, hotels, conference rooms (ready to receive up to 1000 people at a time), restaurants, shopping centers, and on the upper floors there are observation platforms that attract tourists. The famous component of the Financial Center is the Park Hyatt Shanghai hotel, which includes 174 rooms. The uniqueness of the Park Hyatt is that it has become the highest located hotel in the world.

But the main purpose of the Shanghai World Financial Center is office work - company offices occupy 70 floors, and about 12 thousand employees come to work in the Mori Building daily.

China appears to be able to compete with the UAE in terms of quantity and quality of ambitious new high-rise structures. Almost every year in the Middle Kingdom (oh, how this epithet fits in this case) buildings of amazing height are put into operation. Well, the Chinese can be understood - the country is overpopulated and the only way out (except for the conquest of neighboring territories) is to build cities not in breadth, but up. Shanghai is one of the leaders in terms of the number of skyscrapers - there are at least 2 buildings over 400 meters high, it is also planned to build an even larger tower with 129 floors, which will rush into the sky next to the already famous "corn" - Jin Mao Tower and "fashionable futuristic opener for bottles" - Shanghai World Trade Center.

Shanghai World Financial Center - SWFC - a giant skyscraper built in the prestigious area of ​​Shanghai, Lujiazui, which is called "Chinese Wall Street". This is a building of multifunctional use, it houses offices, hotels, conference rooms, restaurants, shopping centers, and on the upper floors there are observation platforms that give an opportunity to take a look at the surroundings of the metropolis. One of the most famous "tenants" of the Financial Center is the Park Hyatt Shanghai, which includes 174 rooms and suites. The uniqueness of Park Hyatt is that it has become the highest located hotel in the world, before that the first place belonged to the Grand Hyatt Shanghai, occupying floors 53-87 in the neighboring skyscraper - Jin Mao Tower.

The Mori Building (synonymous with SFWC) houses a large conference center on floors 3-5, abbreviated as the Forum. Big hall The center is ready to receive up to 1000 people at a time, which will be accommodated with excellent comfort in a theater-style room.

By design, the Shanghai World Financial Center is more of an office building - company offices occupy 70 floors. About 12,000 employees come to work at the Maury Building every day. In addition, several thousand tourists and vacationers, as well as guests of the Park Hyatt Shanghai hotel, can visit the skyscraper.

The SFWC was officially opened in 2008 with a grand ceremony on August 30 of that year. Since that date, the Shanghai World Financial Center has taken over from the neighboring Jin Mao Tower (height - 421 meters, number of floors - 88), which was for some time the highest building in China and Hong Kong, and was one of the three most majestic skyscrapers of the world (including the still unfinished Dubai Tower).

So, the Shanghai World Financial Center consists of 101 floors, the height of the building is a little less than half a kilometer (!), 492 meters to be exact. To compare the power and strength of this giant, you can mentally imagine the dimensions of 16 typical 9-story buildings stacked on top of each other!

The construction work itself was completed on September 14, 2007, when the height of the building exceeded the mark of 1612.2 feet (492m), but another year was spent on finishing and communications.

Spectators who wish to climb to the top using high-speed elevators can view the surroundings of the city from a height of 474 meters - this is where the closed observation deck is located, equipped with the latest technology, in compliance with all safety standards. This observatory has become the highest observation deck in the world.

Construction history

The idea of ​​SWFC came to the mind of the architect Cohn Pederson Fox in the nineties of the last century, the first foundation stone was laid on August 27, 1997, but due to the financial crisis of 1998, construction had to be frozen for several years. In addition, the design of the tower underwent some changes, and further work on the object continued according to the updated drawings. Construction was carried out with the financing of a number of large multinational companies - Japanese, Chinese, Hong Kong corporations, as well as as yet unnamed European and American investors. It is known that the American investment bank Morgan Stanley coordinated the financing of the Maury Building.


The Japanese tycoon Minoru Mori took an active part in the fate of the skyscraper, which is why the skyscraper unofficially bears his name. According to experts, investments in the project amounted to at least $1 billion, while 10% of the property has already been transferred to the American bank Morgan Stanley.

The architecture of the Shanghai World Trade Center is impressive - the structure really has something in common with a giant bottle opener, a trapezoidal hole in the top of the skyscraper, which is associated with a corkscrew holder ring, gives a special resemblance. One must think that the architect who planned this building dreamed of conveying a different meaning to the layman. Initially, the void at the top of the building was supposed to have a circumference. Serious controversy erupted around this design feature. Proponents of Chinese culture believed that the “ring” is a tribute to traditional Eastern mythology, an associative representation of the people about the relationship between heaven and earth. Someone believed that the round void at the top resembled a "moon gate" - one of the symbols often used in Chinese architecture. Others saw in the circle a striking resemblance to the "rising sun" displayed on the Japanese flag. By the way, this circumstance caused a lot of protests among the public, and, in particular, among the mayor of Shanghai. The intensity of passions led to the fact that Cohn Pederson Fox decided to modify the shape of the hole, making it trapezoidal. In addition, such a structure was easier and cheaper to build.

So, the size of the void is 46 (!) Meters in diameter. It turns out that such a design has a purely functional explanation - this "diaphragm" was invented to reduce the impact on the building of winds. At such a height, the speed of air movement is very high and exerts significant pressure on the walls; such a “hole” was very useful to resist the force of the wind. As mentioned above, the Posterior Seas is the owner of the highest observation deck in the world. However, the building has as many as 3 observatories!

The first platform is located at an altitude of 423 meters above the ground on the 94th floor, the second - 439m. on the 97th, well, and the third, called "Observatory-Bridge", is equipped on the 100th floor at a height of 474 meters from the base of the foundation.

Interestingly, it was previously planned to install a spire on the roof of the skyscraper, which would add a few more meters to the building. The investors' ambitions were to get the most powerful skyscraper, surpassing the famous Taiwanese Taipei 101 (509.2 m). However, Architect William Pederson and developer Minoru Mori opposed the addition of the spire, explaining that for a building as grand as the Shanghai World Financial Center, the existing size would be sufficient. The creators of the project did not fail to note that the parameters of the SWFC will impress anyone anyway: the building area is 377.300 square meters, there are 31 high-speed elevators and 33 escalators inside the skyscraper! Also Shanghai World Financial Center has 3 underground floors.

Construction of the Shanghai World Financial Center

The construction of SWFC dragged on for more than 10 years. From the beginning of the laying of the first stone (August 27, 1997) to the opening of the building on August 30, 2008, a long 11 years passed. The construction process itself took only 4 years. active financing of the project began only in 2003, when investors, having coped with the consequences of the crisis of the late 90s, resumed investing in the object. The fact that China joined the WTO in 2001, in connection with this, the real estate market “revived” and was filled with foreign investments, contributed a lot to the activation of construction.

Mori Group, the developer, before starting the project, decided to increase the building by 32 meters, since the initial height of the “opener” was to be 460 m (94 floors). As a result, full-scale construction began only on November 16, 2003. The construction of the building was carried out by the Shanghai Construction Group.


In August 2007, when the skyscraper was almost ready, there was a fire on the 40th floor. The fire was quickly extinguished by the efforts of firefighters, but so far the cause of the fire has not been clarified.

On September 14, 2007, the last steel beam was installed and the height was measured. Success! The skyscraper reached the coveted mark of 492 meters. Then the finishing with reflective panels began, the interior of the building was repaired, elevators and escalators were installed. As a result, the Mori Building on August 30, 2008 received the first visitors into its bowels.

It is noteworthy that the expressive design of the “opener” did not leave indifferent the best architects of the world, and in 2008 the building of the Shanghai World Trade Center was recognized as the best skyscraper in the world.

Shanghai is now a city of skyscrapers. It is planned to complete the construction of 24 buildings with a height of 243 meters by 2008, it is interesting that in 2005 only 8 skyscrapers were put into operation. Even now, Shanghai can be safely called the eastern New York - perhaps in a couple of decades there will be no "shorts", buildings below 50 meters in the city, - kilometer and half-kilometer giants will rise around - the stone and glass jungle will soar up to Heaven.

Great masterpieces of architecture. 100 buildings that delighted the world Mudrova Anna Yurievna

Shanghai World Financial Center Shanghai

shanghai world financial center

The Shanghai World Financial Center (the accepted abbreviation of SWFC) is a skyscraper in Shanghai, the construction of which was completed in the summer of 2008. The construction of the building began on August 27, 1997, but due to the financial crisis of 1998, it dragged on for ten years. The construction process itself took four years. active financing began only in 2003, it took another year for interior decoration and installation of communications.

Recently, China has been able to compete with the UAE in the quantity and quality of new ambitious high-rise structures. Shanghai takes the lead in terms of the number of skyscrapers. Among them is the Shanghai World Trade Center. It is the fourth tallest skyscraper in the world after Burj Khalifa, Royal Tower and Taipei 101.

The developer was the Japanese company Mori Building Corporation, which is why the skyscraper received alternative name Mori building. The Shanghai World Financial Center is currently the third tallest skyscraper in the world. The total height of the building is 492 meters, which is only 16 meters less than that of the world-famous Taiwanese giant Taipei 101. Although even today, disputes about leadership among the two giants do not subside. The fact is that Taipei 101 won the "race for heights" thanks to its spire, which was recognized as an integral architectural element. However, in reality, the Mori building is 44 meters taller than Taipei 101, if you do not take into account its decorative spire.

Shanghai World Financial Center - SWFC - a giant skyscraper built in the prestigious area of ​​Shanghai, Lujiazui, which is called "Chinese Wall Street". This building is multifunctional: it houses offices, hotels, conference rooms, restaurants, shopping centers, and on the upper floors there are observation platforms that give an opportunity to take a look at the surroundings of the metropolis.

Appearance and internal organization Shanghai World Financial Center, underwent changes several times during construction. The first significant improvements concerned security enhancements. Measures were taken after the sad events of September 11, 2001. For example, 12 fireproof shelters were introduced and 2 additional external elevators were provided for quick evacuation. In addition, the structure of the structure was modified in such a way that the building, if necessary, could withstand an attack from the air. Shock absorbers dampen vibrations during strong gusts of wind and ground vibrations during earthquakes. Through void at the upper levels of the building is designed to reduce the impact hurricane winds on the walls of the building. The main building material used for the construction of the Mori building was reinforced concrete, steel and glass. During construction, it was possible to minimize the cost of steel, reducing the weight of the building, but at the same time not worsening the seismic resistance indicators.

In 2003, changes were made to the project, in particular, the developer Mori Group increased the height of the building to 492 m and the number of floors to 101, from the original 460 and 94, respectively. Also in 2005, the shape of the window on top of the building was reshaped, intended to reduce air resistance. Initially, a rounded window with a diameter of 46 m was supposed. However, this design caused great protests from the Chinese, including the mayor of Shanghai, who believed that it was very similar to the rising sun on the flag of Japan. The round hole was replaced with a trapezoidal one, which reduced the cost of construction and simplified the implementation of the project. The size of the void is 46 meters in diameter. This design has a purely functional explanation - it was invented to reduce the impact on the building of winds. At such a height, the speed of air movement is very high and exerts significant pressure on the walls; such a hole was very useful to resist the force of the wind.

Posterior Mori is the owner of the highest observation deck in the world. However, the building has as many as three observatories. The first platform is located at a height of 423 meters above the ground on the 94th floor, the second - 439 meters on the 97th, and the third, called "Observatory-Bridge", is equipped on the 100th floor at a height of 474 meters from the base of the foundation.

The Shanghai World Financial Center embodies the continuity of traditional Chinese architecture and new design solutions. This is evidenced by the very shape of the building - a giant rectangular prism, crossed by two large arcs. The hexagonal skyscraper gradually narrows towards the top, turning into a single line. Thus, the unity of opposites - yin and yang - is emphasized, and the dialogue between the two elements - heaven and earth is also revealed.

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Before my arrival in Shanghai, I had been in China for more than a week, so it seemed that little could surprise me. However, already on the way from the airport to the hotel, I realized that this city is not like everything that I had seen before. As if I mixed up the flights and flew somewhere in the wrong place.

After gray communist Beijing, dirty and stuffy Guangzhou and provincial Shanghai became a sip for me fresh air. Looking at the architecture, people, shops, cars, I began to understand why this city is called “Window to the outside world” and “Paris of the East”. Probably, the truth is that somewhere here East and West meet each other. It seemed to me that even time in Shanghai feels different, and the usual Eurocentric picture of the world goes somewhere in the past.

How to get there

Of course, the best way to get from Moscow or St. Petersburg to Shanghai is by plane. You can't think of a more reasonable way to overcome about 7,000 kilometers. ABOUT land transport in this case, it makes sense to think only residents Far East, however, it is worth remembering that you will have to make a transplant (or even more than one) in Beijing or northern Chinese cities, because Pdirect railway and even more so bus service does not exist for this route.

By plane

The most optimal flight option is a direct flight without transfers. Two airlines fly from Moscow on this route almost daily: Aeroflot and China Eastern Airlines. In both cases, the departure is from Sheremetyevo, and we arrive at Pudong International Airport, which is located 30 kilometers from the city center. Direct flights from St. Petersburg are operated by China Easten Airlines and VIM Avia.

Travel time will average nine hours, so stock up on music and books. The price of tickets in economy class is approximately 45,000 to 90,000 rubles for flights from Moscow and from 70,000 rubles for flights from St. Petersburg. From personal experience, I can say that it’s impossible to fly back and forth cheaper than 50,000 rubles. The earlier you book your tickets, the higher your chances of saving. Price options for the dates you are interested in can be viewed by.

The option of a flight with a transfer looks tempting, since the cost of such tickets is half as much. However, not everyone will like the idea that they will have to spend almost a day on the road. Usually, most connecting flights fly through or Guangzhou.

From Pudong Airport to the center, it is most convenient to get in three ways:

  • Metro: Line 2 (green) passes through the city center and connects two airports - Pudong and Hongxiao. The Pudong International Airport station is located right at the airport, which is very convenient, but you will have to change at Guanglan Road station along the way (you will be reminded of this in the car in Chinese and English).
  • Maglev Train: This is something like our Aeroexpress, only several times faster. In about ten minutes, the miracle train will take you to the Longyang Road subway station, from where you can continue your journey by subway, bus or taxi. Tickets cost 7.5 USD or 50 RMB (15 USD or 100 RMB in business class).
  • Taxi: The best, in my opinion, option for those who value their time and nerves. Taxi stands are located at the exit of the terminal. The cost of the trip will cost you about 19 USD or 130 yuan (landing 14 yuan, then 2.4 yuan per kilometer).

By train

For those who prefer the romance of long journeys to the sound of wheels, getting to Shanghai will be very difficult.

If you are traveling from Moscow, you can take train 043 - or 020 - Vostok, which departs from the Yaroslavsky railway station. Travel time - 6 days 2 hours. Ticket prices start from 29,000 rubles (according to the Russian Railways website).

In Beijing, you will have to change trains: either on a modern bullet train G1, or on a regular train in a compartment or reserved seat. In the first case, you will be in Shanghai in 5-6 hours, but spend a decent amount on tickets (92 USD, or 574 yuan), in the second - in 15-20 hours, but save money (tickets cost from 44 USD, or 300 yuan) and get unforgettable impressions from Chinese trains long distance. No one has been left indifferent by the three-story second-class carriages, saturated with the smell of freshly brewed noodles. By the way, bed linen in Chinese trains is changed only once, at the final station, so if the train is passing, do not rely on the freshness and cleanliness of your bed.

Another important point: these trains go through Mongolia (043 for sure, but Vostok may be bypassing, you need to check when buying tickets), so you will need a transit visa from this country.

You also need to know that return tickets for the train can only be bought at railway ticket offices in China.

By bus

bus route looks about the same as the railroad. For example, buses run from Vladivostok or Ussuriysk to Harbin, Suifenhe or Hunchun. A ticket costs around 2000-3000 thousand rubles, travel time is 7-10 hours. However, getting from these cities to Shanghai is not very easy. In some cases, you will have to make additional transfers or even change the mode of transport along the way. Most affordable option- train Harbin - Shanghai, which takes about 30 hours and costs about 90 USD or 600 yuan for a seat in a reserved seat.

All in all, bus travel in Shanghai can be classified as extreme tourism.

Clue:

Shanghai - time is now

Hour difference:

Moscow - 5

Kazan - 5

Samara - 4

Yekaterinburg - 3

Novosibirsk - 1

Vladivostok 2

When is the season. When is the best time to go

The ideal time of the year to travel to Shanghai, in my opinion and according to my friends who have lived in this city for many years, will be spring. The weather during this period is simply excellent: the hellish cold is already behind, and the hellish hell has not yet arrived. And there are not so many tourists, because the holiday season and the mass pilgrimage of foreigners to the Celestial Empire begins in June.

Shanghai in summer

Most tourists come to Shanghai in the summer. And they make a big mistake. It is clear that many have holidays, and at other times it simply cannot be done. But if you have the opportunity to choose other months for the trip, use it. Summer Shanghai is a glass-concrete capsule with a population of twenty-four million people, which melts from the indescribable heat 24 hours a day.


Being outside is sometimes just not possible. Plus, the already bad air becomes even dirtier and more unbearable, so you are unlikely to part with a gauze mask. And, of course, you will fully experience the unique smell of China, which will remain in your memories for a long time.

Shanghai in autumn

If you decide to visit Shanghai in autumn, it is best to do so in late September and October. True, frequent rains can spoil the mood for someone, but as for me, walking in rainy weather even more interesting: the city becomes somehow especially cozy and hospitable.

Shanghai in spring

As already mentioned, it is spring that will make your trip to Shanghai as comfortable and unforgettable as possible. The heat here comes very early, nature begins to wake up already in mid-February. In March, sakura blossoms in the Garden of Joy, and in May everyone already wears shorts.

Shanghai in winter

The first thing you need to know about China: in this country there is no central system heating as such. Neither in the south nor in the impossibly cold north will you find a single battery. The only source of heat in the rooms are ordinary air conditioners, which are set to warm mode. Therefore, in this country (with the exception, perhaps, of the southernmost cities with a subtropical climate), winter is a real torture for the body.

I happened to visit Shanghai in winter. It was December, but during my stay in the city, it established itself extremely warm weather. I even had to remove winter things, because it was frankly hot in boots. But this is pure luck. Because it is usually very cold and damp in Shanghai in winter. Due to the high humidity, temperatures below +5 feel like severe frost. Naturally, this discourages any desire to go out. All in all, winter period it seems to me not best time for a trip to Shanghai if your goal is to visit as many sights as possible and walk around the city from morning to evening.

Shanghai - monthly weather

Clue:

Shanghai - monthly weather

Districts. Where is the best place to live

Most of the hotels are located on the West Bank of the Huangpu River - Puxi. It is here that the main sights are located, which are definitely worth a visit.

As a landmark, one of the central tourist destinations- People's Square (marked in purple). East coast- Pudong (marked in red) - may be interesting for the legendary skyscrapers and business centers. This is one of the most expensive areas for living, so I would not recommend it for accommodation.

When choosing housing in Shanghai, I recommend acting not on the principle far/close to center, and navigate exclusively on the metro map. It is the subway that will be the most convenient and cheapest way to travel around the city, and having decided on the route of exploring Shanghai, you can easily choose the branch that is most convenient for you. Even if your hotel is not located in historical center, but within walking distance from the metro station, you can get to anywhere in the city in a few minutes.


Personally, I stayed at a hotel called Tian Lin Hotel, which is located a 15-minute walk from Guilin Road Subway Station (Line 9). This is not the center-center, but not the outskirts (the location of the hotel on the map is marked with a black arrow in the lower left corner). In my opinion, an excellent option in terms of value for money. I got to the center in 30 minutes (taking into account the walk to the metro), which suited me perfectly. Nearby were many shops and restaurants, as well as a huge Walmart and fruit stalls.

Strange fact: in China in the rooms of almost all hotels (at least in those where I was, and I happened to live in more than 15 hotels different levels) there is a glass wall in the shower. That is, the wall that separates the sleeping space from the bathroom is transparent, so all your bath procedures will be visible to your roommate. It is rather difficult to find any reasonable explanation for this phenomenon. Therefore, if you will be sharing a room with someone, think about it to avoid discomfort.

What are the prices for holidays

Usually, when Russian tourists come to, most of all they are pleasantly surprised by the prices. So, this does not apply to Shanghai. This is one of the most expensive cities in the world, so don't expect to be able to buy things or equipment almost for nothing, because the cost of goods and services is almost the same as in Russia. Especially this injustice is felt recently in the conditions of growth of exchange rate.

Housing

If we talk about housing, then the price range here will be about the same as in Moscow. An average hotel can cost 30-60 USD or 200-400 RMB per night. You can rent an apartment in a more or less decent area for about 1,000 USD or 6,000-7,000 yuan per month. A room for 500-600 USD or 3,500-4,000 yuan per month. For a shorter period, the price will, of course, be cheaper, but not enough to please you.

Transport

To save on transport, I highly recommend taking the subway. The cost of the trip depends on the length of the route and starts from 0.5 USD or 3 yuan. If you take a taxi, be aware that the fixed price for landing is 2 USD or 14 RMB. Further on the counter at 0.35 USD or 2.4 yuan, for each kilometer. A cunning taxi driver can take you the longest way, and then your trip will cost a pretty penny.

Food

Prices for groceries in supermarkets are quite decent. Unless fruits may seem expensive (1.5-3 USD or 10-20 yuan). By the way, be careful: in China, the price of fruits and vegetables is indicated for 500 grams, not per kilogram. Therefore, if you see an attractive price tag, do not rush to rejoice, but multiply the figure by two.

The average check in a cafe will cost 4-7 USD or 20-50 yuan, in more expensive restaurants - from 12 USD or 80 yuan. Water in the store costs about 30 cents, or 2 yuan, noodles, tofu and cookies - 1-2 USD or 3-7 yuan and more.

Clue:

The cost of food, lodging, transportation, etc.

Currency: Rubles, rub. Dollars, $ Euro, €

Main attractions. What to see

It seems to me that to see even the main sights of Shanghai, it will take at least a week. Below I will try to list the most frequently visited places by tourists, which will best help to make an approximate portrait of the city in all its diversity.

Top 5


Churches and temples. Which are worth a visit


Museums. Which are worth a visit

There are several dozen museums in Shanghai, so listing them all would be insane. Among this variety, I would single out the following, in my opinion, the most interesting places:


Among museums of a narrow focus, I would single out:


parks

There are a lot of parks in Shanghai, but I would name only a few of them worth visiting:


tourist streets

In addition to the Nanjing Street already mentioned above, I advise you to visit the French Quarter. This is a very beautiful area where you can have a great evening and relax. Here is Huaihai Street (formerly called Joffre Avenue), which was once called Russian, since after the revolution of 1917 Russian white emigrants settled on it.


Today this place is quite glamorous, there are many expensive (and very expensive) shops and cozy cafes. Huaihai is often compared to Champs Elysees in Paris and Fifth Avenue in New York. Being in this place, you make a journey through time and space, because the atmosphere here is absolutely European. The most convenient way to get to the French Quarter is by subway line 1, Xujianhui Station.


What to see in 1 day

I do not envy those tourists who have only one day to see the sights of Shanghai. In this case, I would advise you to decide on the direction of your mini-review: shopping, walking, historical sites, museums... Because it will be incredibly difficult to cover everything at once. Alternatively, I suggest the following route:

  • Morning: Zoo/Oceanarium/Temple/Museum. Depending on your interests. You need to understand that any of the points will take at least 3 hours, so it’s better to start your tourist marathon at 9 am (earlier, most likely, everything will be closed). By the way, the Shanghai Aquarium (Lujiazui metro station, line 2) is not a cheap pleasure (24 USD or 160 yuan), but it's worth it.
  • Dinner: People's Square+Nanjing Street/Museum/Park. At lunchtime, you can go to lively, crowded places to eat and shop. At this time, you will not be very tired yet, so there will be strength for shopping or a walk in the park. Perhaps you will have time to drop by one of the museums in the city center. This part of the route will take at least 4 hours.
  • Evening: Waterfront/Skyscraper Observation Deck/French Quarter/Shopping Malls. I recommend leaving walks along the embankment and an overview of the panorama of the city for the evening: the city at this time is transformed thanks to the unique illumination. In the evening, you should definitely wander along the pedestrian streets, try exotic kebabs, look into shops and stock up on souvenirs.

What to see in the surroundings

If you have a free day and you are easy-going, you can go to the city on the water, famous throughout Asia - Zhujiajiao. This is a real Eastern, you can’t call it otherwise. Here you can take a boat tour or wander along the canals on foot.

It is located in 50 kilometers from downtown Shanghai. You can get there by bus from Shanghai Stadium Subway Station (Line 5).


Food. What to try

In the cafes and restaurants of Shanghai, you will find almost all the same traditional Chinese dishes as in any other city. Meat, fish and tofu with a million different sauces, dim sum and baozi, rice noodles ... You can read a lot of interesting Chinese food.

My absolute favorite in Shanghai is Malatan or "spicy soup". Do it yourself', as I call it. It can be found in special cafes in which all the ingredients of the future dish are in front of you. You take a bowl and put there everything that you want to see on your plate: tofu, meat, fish, herbs, vegetables, noodles... Then you pass it to the cook and after 15-20 minutes you enjoy a hot and hearty lunch. There are a lot of such restaurants both on the street and in shopping centers. The price of such a dish depends on the weight of the collected products: I got 3-5 USD or 20-30 yuan, and in the end it was a very large portion, so I could not even finish it all. Be careful as the dish is very spicy!

Also be sure to try the street skewers. The first time it will be scary, and then you will get involved, you will not be able to live without them. I advise you to pay attention to the kebab-eggplant. A huge purple vegetable is fried right in its entirety, sprinkled with plenty of spices, it is very tasty. The price of a kebab is about 1 USD or 2-3 yuan.


Finally, my biggest gastronomic discovery related to Shanghai is sweets. Before the trip, many people scared me that in China there was no sweet at all, and what was there was disgusting and inedible. Well, this turned out to be false. Shanghai is generally considered the "sweetest" city in China. And these sweets, like many things in this country, are quite peculiar, but memorable. However, to some they may not seem so appetizing, because, as you know, they taste and color ... But, if you have the same sweet tooth as me, start with halva. It was a real delight for me. Chinese halva is completely different from the eastern one, it crumbles like sand, so you need to eat it with a spoon. It is made from nut powder and rice flour and does not taste very sweet. But for me, this was a big plus, oddly enough, because I don’t like it when sugar creaks on my teeth from dessert. And Chinese sweets in this sense were ideal, not cloying at all.


In addition to halva, I advise you to try sachima, which resembles Tatar chak-chak in appearance and taste, as well as fruit marshmallows, rice cookies, crackers, corn sweets, brushwood. The only thing I recommend giving up is chocolate. He's really, really ugly.

To be honest, when choosing a place for a snack or a full meal, I do not trust guidebooks, but my intuition. And she has never let me down. There are so many establishments in Shanghai that it is rather difficult to single out at least a few of the very best. If you see that the cafe is full of people, everything is more or less clean and decent, then most likely the place is normal. You can almost always eat deliciously and safely in the food courts of shopping centers.

Budget

  • Jia Jia Tang Bao,
  • Yang's Fried Dumplings,
  • Fu Chun Xiao Long,
  • Din Tai Fung.

Intermediate level

  • Shanghai Haidilao Hot Pot,
  • ShangHai DiShuiDOng,
  • xibo,
  • Lost Heaven on the Bund,
  • Lotus Eatery.

Expensive

  • scene,
  • Lao Zheng Xing,
  • Hakkasan,
  • Bund 18,
  • Xian Qian Fang-Yong An.

Holidays

Among the local holidays, one can single out, perhaps, the Shanghai Tourism Festival. It runs from mid-September to early October. This is a very colorful event: carnival, fireworks, food fair, dancing, theater, circus. This is such an ode to Chinese culture. By the way, quite popular with tourists.

The most important holiday, of course, is the New Year or Spring Festival, which is celebrated in China in late January - early February. It is curious that and Catholic Christmas The Chinese are also celebrating: streets, shops, restaurants have been decorated with holiday symbols since December, and mass sales begin in shopping centers.


You can learn more about New Year traditions and other Chinese holidays at.

Safety. What to watch out for

On a scale of 1 to 10, I would rate Shanghai's safety as a 9, leaving 1 for drunken tourists and international students. In Shanghai, even a lonely girl can safely walk around the city at three in the morning without fear that a maniac or a robber will attack. Severe Chinese laws provide for very harsh penalties for any crime, especially against foreigners (up to the death penalty). The only thing I advise you to keep your eyes open during the daytime in busy areas, as small thieves And pickpockets which are almost impossible to capture.

Things to do

If museums and temples are clearly not your thing and you prefer active exploration of the present to admiring the past, then Shanghai will not disappoint you. The most popular type of entertainment for tourists, of course, will be a shopping run. Many people go to this very place, looking at historical sights and cultural monuments along the way.

For those who want to appreciate the nightlife of this metropolis, fun is also guaranteed. Because Shanghai never sleeps, and you won't be bored at any time of the day.

Shopping and shops

  • All the largest shopping centers are located on Nanjing Street. There are so many shops here that, in principle, you can not go anywhere else. The most famous and most-most shopping center is Shanghai No. 1 Department Store. At your service are 11 floors of shopping malls where you can buy absolutely everything.

  • The coolest shopping center is considered Pacific Plaza(Xujiahui Subway Line 1 and 9). Shopping here is quite expensive. The shopping center presents mainly European luxury brands.
  • My favorite mall in Shanghai I would say Global Harbor(Metro Jinshajiang Road, lines 3 and 4). This is, in general, an ordinary shopping center, not even in the center, but I always got good shopping there.

For those who really want a handbag from Chanel and Louis Vuitton, but are not ready to pay several thousand yuan for it, there are markets. It is here that you can find pretty good replicas of products of famous brands. However, I must warn that everything is individual here. For example, I was unable to buy almost anything in the Chinese markets, because the prices seemed too high to me and I was not ready to pay big money for such quality. Among the largest markets, I would single out fake market(Technology Museum metro station, line 2). Feel free to bargain! If you really like something, bargain like it's the last time! It is very important. For example, I managed to drop the price from 50 USD to 11 (from 350 yuan to 80). Get a thing at a price two or three times less than the specified, really!

Sales in Shanghai are held mainly on the eve of big holidays. The most pleasant discounts can be obtained during the New Year period.

Bars. Where to go

For those who cannot imagine their vacation without hot parties, Shanghai has an ideal area in this regard, where most of the city's nightlife is concentrated.

This is the quarter Xintiandi(Xintiandi metro line 10). Located in the heart of Shanghai, not far from People's Square. The fun is here around the clock, a lot of stylish bars and in general it is quite an atmospheric place.

In general, Shanghai bars are almost no different from Russian or European ones. Alcohol flows like water, fun does not stop until dawn, the range of drinks is almost the same as everywhere else, but the most popular of them is beer. The Chinese drink a lot of it. The price range fluctuates around 50-100 USD for an average check in an average bar.

Great bars:

  • Bar ROUGE,
  • Da-da
  • Jazz Club at the Peace Hotel,
  • cloud 9,
  • DR Bar.

Clubs and nightlife

Most nightclubs are located in the city center. The presence of a dress code depends on the specific place: most often it is installed in very expensive and well-known establishments that are visited by celebrities and important people. If you are a person with a European appearance, you can be calm: they will let you in anytime and anywhere, no matter who you are. It so happened that "laowai" or "foreigner" in China enjoys great respect and all sorts of privileges.

Great clubs:

  • M1nt,
  • archam,
  • babylon,
  • modu,
  • Lola.

Souvenirs. What to bring as a gift

The first thing I would advise you to bring as a souvenir is sweets. Each region of China is characterized by certain food preferences, and so, all the sweet tooth gathered in Shanghai. Here you can find a lot of interesting things even in ordinary supermarkets.


Most of the sweets and cookies are made from rice flour, and there are a lot of green tea flavored confections. There are shops on Nanjing Street where you can find sweet gifts in bright and original packaging. If after Shanghai you are planning a trip to another city in China and hoping to buy something similar there, you will be very disappointed. Many delicious and unusual sweet souvenirs can only be found in Shanghai. Checked on personal experience.

Girls may want to buy a traditional Chinese women's dress - qipao. Shanghai has a very large selection of these robes, but such an outfit costs a lot of money. Chinese women are advised to buy qipao in Suzhou. This city is a 30-minute high-speed train ride from Shanghai.

Otherwise, Shanghai in terms of souvenirs is quite predictable. Teas, fans, coins, jade jewelry... You can read about what is better to bring or not to bring from China.

How to move around the city

Shanghai has a very well developed public transport system. There is, perhaps, not a single corner of the city where it would be impossible to reach by metro or bus. The most reliable and fast way movement will subway. You can even take the metro to the airport. True, it has one significant drawback: it closes at 22:30.

In addition to land and underground transport, you can also move in the center of Shanghai by water. Ferries run along the Huangpu River from the pier on the Bund to the pier near the financial center in Pudong. The ticket price is about 50 cents or 2-3 yuan. In such an interesting way, you can get from one coast to another in just 5 minutes.

Taxi. What features exist

To take a taxi in Shanghai, you can either ask the hotel reception to order one, or go outside and hail a car yourself. If you decide to vote, remember that a free taxi has a checkered green. If you see one, try to get the driver's attention. If the checker is off, then a passenger is already in the taxi or the driver is not working at the moment. It is usually easy to hail a taxi on the street. Drivers stop immediately.

The following payment system operates in Shanghai: landing, as I wrote above, costs 2 USD or 14 yuan, and then 30 cents or 2.4 yuan, according to the counter for each kilometer. On average, a trip around the city will cost 5-6 USD or 30-40 yuan.

Taxi from the airport can be ordered at special desks, which are located at the exit of the terminal. The cost of the trip will cost you about 20 USD or 130 yuan (according to the same system, where landing is 2 USD and then 30 cents per kilometer).

Trams

There is only one tram line in Shanghai. It is located in the Pudong area and its length is about 10 kilometers. It makes no sense to use it, since it is almost impossible to get anywhere along this line.

Metro

It is written in great detail about the Shanghai metro. Scheme, tickets, fare - in general, comprehensive information. From myself I can add that the metro - The best way movement around Shanghai for those who value their time and want to save on transport.

Opening hours from 5:00 to 22:30.


The fare depends on the length of the route. On average, it is 60 cents or 3-4 yuan. Tickets can be bought at the vending machines of the stations (there is a menu in English).

All information in the subway is duplicated in English. It is very difficult to get lost, as many signs will help you quickly find a way out.

The subway in Shanghai is an absolutely safe mode of transport. Some inconvenience can be experienced only during rush hour due to the large crowds.

Buses

Buses are also quite convenient for moving around Shanghai. They are a little slower than the metro, but you can see the city from the window. The bus fare is 30 cents or 2 yuan. To pay for the fare, you need to put money in a special box office next to the driver. You will not receive change, so prepare a change in advance. The bus network is very well developed, you can get to any point at any time of the day (there are special night lines).

Concerning tourist buses, then there are two types: Big Bus double deckers and Shanghai Sightseeing Bus buses. All of them run along the main attractions. You can catch them near almost all historical sites and key points of the city. Detailed list of stops. To cover as many interesting places as possible, I advise you to take these buses in the People's Square area.

Big Bus tickets cost 44 USD or 300 RMB and are valid for 48 hours. With this ticket, you can visit the Jade Buddha Temple and Jin Mao Tower for free. Sightseeing Bus is cheaper: from 5 to 7 USD or 30-50 yuan. Their routes are almost the same. All buses have free audio guides, including in Russian.

Transport rental

Traveling by personal or rented transport in China is almost impossible for a foreigner. The fact is that, according to Chinese law, any foreign citizen who wants to personally drive a vehicle in the territory of the PRC, must fulfill a number of special requirements:

  • Inform the Chinese state in some way (through a tour operator or in any other way inaccessible to understanding) about a clear schedule of your route. Any deviation from the agreed plan is considered a serious violation of the law.
  • The car on which you are going to move there must pass the technical inspection in China and have documentary evidence of this.
  • It is necessary to pass a medical examination in a Chinese clinic.
  • Finally, the most important point: throughout the entire period of travel in China, you must have a licensed Chinese guide with a driver's license with you, who will drive a vehicle in an area where driving a car by foreigners is prohibited.

Failure to comply with at least one point can result in a huge fine or imprisonment for you.

Renting a car with a guide will cost at least 150 USD per day. And you can see the price options for a car without a driver.

If by some miracle you managed to get behind the wheel, then the only advice I would like to give the driver is to be patient. It's just that here one gets the feeling that drivers and pedestrians defiantly ignore each other. Therefore, if you see how someone crosses the road in the wrong place or throws himself under your wheels at a red light, humble yourself and let this crazy person pass.

By this, of course, you will greatly surprise the locals, since they are not going to let anyone through and will calmly crush the madmen, but neither you nor the Chinese guide sitting next to you need problems, so be compliant and careful.

Shanghai - holidays with children

In China, the cult of children. Here they are called little emperors and are literally idolized. Therefore, taking a child on a trip to Shanghai, I believe you will not regret it. This city is best suited for children's recreation.

Top children's entertainment in Shanghai:

  • Shanghai Wild Animal Park (this is not just a zoo, but a real safari; you can feed giraffes and llamas).
  • Oceanarium.
  • Circus "Era" (known all over the world acrobatic show).
  • Shanghai Children's Museum (for children from 2 to 12 years old; something like a science city, where children can try on the roles of astronauts, underwater explorers, doctors, salesmen, stylists or farmers).

Needless to say, the selection of children's toys in Shanghai is beyond imagination?

Restaurants in the SVFC tower occupy floors 87 to 93. Some boast panoramic views and some do not. Before you decide to eat here, you should consider your financial capabilities. A glass of juice costs 50 yuan here, and a full meal costs 1,000 yuan per person.

Exactly this popular place for business lunches and dinners in Shanghai. If the Chinese need to show their serious intentions in business, then they take guests to the “opener”.

Let's talk about our case from life. A few years ago, we were not yet engaged in tourism, but worked in the field of selling cables for computer networks. During a business trip to China, our partners, sales managers of the Chinese cable plant, decided to feed us dinner, of course, at the expense of the company.

Our friend pointed to the roof of the SHMFC skyscraper and said: “In the evening we will have dinner there.” He had such a satisfied face, as if the participants in the Miss Universe contest had just approached him to meet, and all at once at the same time.

Then three hours passed on an excursion to, and during the inspection of this attraction, our colleague constantly called. As a result, it turned out that not a single restaurant at the top of the skyscraper has free tables for the evening! But there are several dozen restaurants, they occupy 6 floors.

If you want to dine there, then book a table a week in advance. Although the situation may have improved now. The most famous bar upstairs is on the 91st floor and is called 100 Century Avenue.

From the 70th to the 93rd floors in the tower there is a hotel Park Hyatt Shanghai. It is small - only 174 rooms, for comparison, in the neighboring Jin Mao Tower, the Hyatt Hotel has 555 rooms.

What is interesting for tourists is a shopping and entertainment center on the first floors

Perhaps the most visited floors by tourists are the first. There are shops and more than a dozen restaurants with quite reasonable prices. We recommend visiting here. Prices in local retail outlets are comparable to prices for, but there is no that crowd that happens all the time on the shopping streets in Shanghai.

Have a good trip to Shanghai and visit viewing platforms. Read our articles about China ( links below).