Created 23-Jul-06
Modified 1-Oct-10
Buildings, many of them under restoration, in the former Italian concession in Tianjin, China. They include
- The rebuilt cultural palace (the grayish Mussolini/post Art-deco style structure in the first three images, originally dating from the 1930s)
- Marco Polo Square, with the restored column
- Various residential houses, almost ready for new tenants
- Real estate advertisement, praising Italian style housing (意式风景区)
- The First People's Hospital of Tianjin, now in disrepair
- Tang Yulin's former residence
- The former Italian Military Barracks (the last six pictures), well restored and used by a branch of the Red Army these days. A very impressive building, off-limits to civilians.
Most of the restored residential estates are (as of Nov. 2006) still empty. However, they are being prepared to be sold publicly on the national and international market, via high-profile real estate brokers connected to (or belonging to) the Tianjin municipal government, and at auction. This will probably become the most expensive neighborhood in the city.
Last visited August 2008. Photographs taken between 2004 (Hasselblad) and August 2008 (digital).
Last updated: September 23, 2008.
Thomas H. Hahn
© Thomas H. Hahn Docu-Images
