Eight Immortals Bridge YMCA Building

China · Huangpu District · Shanghai · Landmarks

Legolas1024 / CC BY-SA 4.0 — via Wikimedia Commons

Image source: Wikimedia Commons; license credits as shown.

Overview

The Eight Immortals Bridge YMCA Building is located at 123 Xizang South Road, Huangpu District, Shanghai. Originally the office of the Shanghai YMCA, it was completed in 1931. The building is now a protected cultural heritage site in Shanghai and is an important historical landmark and representative architecture of modern times, featuring a classical Chinese revival style exterior.

Getting There

You can take the Shanghai Metro to People's Square Station and then walk; or take Line 8 or Line 14 to Dazhongsi Station and walk from there, which takes about a few minutes to 10 minutes.

Highlights

Cultural Heritage Site: Listed as a cultural heritage site in Shanghai in 1989. Chinese Classical Revival Style: The exterior resembles the Qianmen Arrow Tower in Beijing, adorned with blue glazed tiles, dougong brackets, and palace-style doors. Modern Youth Movement Landmark: Once an important base for the Shanghai YMCA, it is also related to modern social and cultural activities in Shanghai.

What to See

Facade and Roof: The lower three floors are designed to resemble granite walls, while the upper floors are made of brown facing bricks, topped with double eaves and blue glazed tiles. Entrance Decoration: The main door features palace-style screens, with cloud patterns and other carvings on the door frame. Overall Structure: It is a ten-story reinforced concrete building, oriented east to west, with a prominent volume.

Hours & Admission

Exterior visits are free, but the building itself is currently not open to the general public. Relevant information indicates that it now serves a combination of hotel and YMCA office purposes, and internal visits depend on actual management arrangements.

Address

123 Xizang South Road, Huangpu District, Shanghai

Travel Tips

Suitable for exterior photography; it is recommended to combine visits with nearby People's Square, East Nanjing Road, and Shanghai Dazhongsi. The building is located in a busy area of the city center, with a lot of pedestrian and vehicle traffic during the day, so please pay attention to safety while photographing. For a more complete view of the facade, it is suggested to take pictures from the intersection or across the street.

Nearby Dining

The surrounding area is part of the Huangpu core business district, offering a wide variety of dining options, including cafes, noodle shops, and mall restaurants within walking distance. You can also head to the commercial areas along Xizang South Road and Jinling East Road for dining options.

FAQ

Where is the Eight Immortals Bridge YMCA Building? It is located at 123 Xizang South Road, Huangpu District, Shanghai. Can I visit it now? Generally not open to the public, primarily for exterior visits. What are the features of this building? It is a modern building completed in 1931, featuring a blend of Chinese classical revival elements and is listed as a cultural heritage site in Shanghai.

Map

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