Five Great Avenues 五大道Wǔ Dàdào

Why go to Five Great Avenues

Wudadao, the Five Great Avenues, is a grid of quiet, tree-lined streets in Tianjin's former British concession, built up in the early 20th century with brick villas, mansions and apartment blocks in a medley of European styles. It is a place to slow down: cycle or take a horse-drawn carriage around the blocks, peer through garden gates and stop for coffee on Minyuan Square.

The story

In the 1920s and 30s these villas sheltered retired warlords, former Qing officials and Republican politicians waiting out turbulent times. Eric Liddell, the Olympic champion of Chariots of Fire, was born in Tianjin and later worked here as a missionary teacher; he helped shape the Minyuan Stadium, modelled on London's Stamford Bridge and now reborn as Minyuan Square.

What to see at Five Great Avenues

• Minyuan Square 民园广场: A rebuilt square on the site of the former Minyuan stadium, ringed by shops and cafes, a popular meeting place.
• Machang Road 马场道: The avenue where the area's earliest buildings went up, including Davenport Building, on the old racecourse side.
• Munan Road and Munan Park 睦南道与睦南公园: Quiet tree-lined road and small park among the villas, good for slow walking.
• Porcelain House 瓷房子: A French-style mansion on Chongqing Road covered in Chinese porcelain, a popular stop on Tianjin itineraries.

How to visit Five Great Avenues

Wander the grid of avenues, starting along Machang Road and Munan Road, then cut across to Minyuan Square for a coffee. Bike hire and horse-drawn carriage rides have been offered around the visitor centre. Two to three hours is enough for a first look; a half-day lets you step into open houses and the Porcelain House.

How to get to Five Great Avenues

Intercity trains reach Tianjin from Beijing South in about 30 minutes; from Tianjin Station it's a short metro or taxi ride to the avenues in Heping District.

Where to stay

Stay in Heping District near the avenues and the Hai River, which also puts you close to the metro; many visitors base themselves in central Tianjin after a day trip from Beijing.

What to eat

• Goubuli baozi 狗不理包子: Tianjin's best-known steamed pork buns, with pleated tops, over a century old.
• Jianbing guozi 煎饼果子: A crepe of mung-bean flour with egg, scallion and a crisp fried dough stick, the classic Tianjin breakfast.
• Erduoyan zhagao 耳朵眼炸糕: Fried glutinous rice cakes with red bean or sesame filling.

Tips for visiting Five Great Avenues

• Rent a shared bike or take a horse-drawn carriage loop; the streets are flat and quiet.
• Look for plaques on the gateposts naming the notable people who once lived inside.
• Finish with an evening stroll along the Hai River, a short ride to the north-east.

Nearby

• Universal Beijing Resort 北京环球度假区 90 km
  Harry Potter, Minions, Jurassic World and an all-indoor Kung Fu Panda land in Tongzhou
• Temple of Heaven 天坛 110 km
  Where emperors prayed for harvests, and where Beijing now dances, sings and plays cards
• Qianmen Street and Dashilar 前门大街·大栅栏 110 km
  A pedestrian avenue below Qianmen gate and a lane of shops trading since Qing times
• National Museum of China 中国国家博物馆 110 km
  Ancient bronzes, jades and porcelain in a vast museum beside Tian'anmen Square
• Tiananmen Square 天安门广场 110 km
  A vast ceremonial square below Tian'anmen gate, where the national flag is raised at dawn
• Forbidden City 故宫 110 km
  Six centuries of imperial power behind vermilion walls in the heart of Beijing

Also within 30 km: Former Tianjin College of Industry and Commerce Main Building 天津工商学院主楼旧址 (under 10 km), Hoangho Paiho Museum (Beijiang Museum) 北疆博物院 (under 10 km), Astor House Hotel 利顺德饭店 (under 10 km), Quanyechang Department Store 劝业场 (under 10 km), Former French Municipal Board, Tianjin 法国公议局旧址 (under 10 km), Jinjie Pedestrian Street 金街 (under 10 km).

On the map

Open Five Great Avenues on the illustrated map to see the terrain around it, what else is close, and to add it to a trip and plan the days.

Learn more

• Wikipedia
• Wikipedia (Chinese)