Tianjin: Five Great Avenues Historical and Cultural Block

Five Great Avenues Historical and Cultural Block
五大道历史文化街区

Located in the south of downtown Tianjin, wudadao, named the Five Great Avenues by local people, is actually a block consisting of five parallel streets running from east to west and named for five cities of southwest China, namely Changde, Chongqing, Dali, Munan and Machang.

The wudadao area covers a land area of more than 600,000 square meters and has a total area of over one million square meters.

The building complex has over 2,000 houses in various architectural styles of the 1920s and 1930s from western countries such as Britain, France, Italy, Germany and Spain, of which more than 300 have been lived by celebrities. They are recognized as a unique "world architecture exhibition" in Tianjin.

The wudadao area was designated as the British Concession after the United Kingdom opened its concession in Tianjin on Dec 17, 1860.

At the start of the 20th century after the Revolution of 1911, imperial family members of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) and some ousted politicians left Beijing to Tianjin and build their residences here.

In addition, many prominent tycoons, wealthy businessmen, celebrities from all walks of life, and high officials serving the Beiyang Government (1912-28) during the period of the Republic of China (1912-49) also lived on the Five Great Avenues.

Hundreds of Chinese and foreign dignitaries and celebrities dwelt here including the 31st President of the United States (1929-33) Herbert Clark Hoover (1874-1964) and former US Secretary of State (1950-51) George Catlett Marshall (1880-1959).

Main attractions:
Xiannong Courtyard, Minyuan Square, Minyuan Xili, Machang Avenue, Former Residence of Feng Guozhang (1859-1919), Former Residence of Nathan

Feng Guozhang, the leader of Chinese warlords in Hebei province under the Beiyang Government, who also served as the vice-president and acting president of the Republic of China.

Edward George Nathan was once the chairman of the board of directors and manager of the Kailuan Mining Bureau, China's biggest cleaned coal production base, which opened in 1878.