Originally established in 1897, the Bank of China relocated its headquarters from Beijing to Shanghai in the 1920s. Although the bank has occupied this address since 1923, the present building was only begun in 1935 and was originally designed to be the tallest building in the city at 33 storeys high. The Sino-Japanese War interrupted construction and it finally opened in 1942, its front door guarded by a magnificent pair of art-deco lions.

It's the only Chinese-designed building along the Bund.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Yokohama Specie Bank

0.02 MILES

One of several buildings along the Bund designed by British architecture firm Palmer & Turner, the Yokohama Specie Bank was built in 1924 mixing…

2. Peace Gallery

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This intriguing little museum, in essence a long room stuffed with period objects and photos relating to the colourful history of the Peace Hotel, is an…

3. Bund Sightseeing Tunnel

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A 647m voyage with entertainment including budget effects, garish lighting and dreadful props, the Bund Sightseeing Tunnel is a transport mode guaranteed…

4. Jardine Matheson

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Standing at No 27 on the Bund is the former headquarters of early opium traders Jardine Matheson, which went on to become one of the most powerful trading…

5. Glen Line Steamship Co.

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This elegant 1922 neoclassical building served as the office of a British shipping company before being occupied by the Japanese during WWII and serving…

6. North China Daily News Building

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The former building of Shanghai-based English newspaper North China Daily, this 1921 neoclassical building is notable for its top-level Atlas art-nouveau…

7. Banque de l'Indochine Building

0.11 MILES

Built in 1914, this French Baroque–style building was originally the Banque de l'Indochine Building. Today it's a Chinese bank with a lavish lobby you can…

8. The Bund

0.12 MILES

Symbolic of concession-era Shanghai, the Bund was the city’s Wall Street, a place of feverish trading and fortunes made and lost. Originally a towpath for…