外滩源

Rumors swirl around the origins of the name 外滩源 (Waitanyuan). Some say it signifies the ‘source’ of the Bund. Right here, at 外滩源, stands the oldest extant building in the area, originally the British Consulate. 外滩源 itself represents the cradle of modern Shanghai’s growth. It’s the starting point of Shanghai’s opening up. Before Shanghai opened as a treaty port, 外滩源 was just outside the old city wall of Shanghai County, a place known as ‘Huangpu Beach’ on the banks of the Huangpu River. The construction of wharves and foreign settlements along the north section of Huangpu Beach around 1844 marked the beginning of modern Waitanyuan’s history. The British Consulate, completed in 1849, became one of the earliest structures here. The first British Consul in Shanghai, Rutherford Alcock, acquired land in Li’s farm in 1845 to build a consulate. This initial structure, completed in 1849 at 33 East Zhongshan Road, where it still stands within 外滩源 today, tragically burned down in 1870, destroying countless documents. In 1872, architects George Gilbert Scott and Norman Shaw designed a new British Consulate in the Victorian style, built with light-colored bricks, five arched porticos on the ground floor, and a veranda-style balcony on the second floor. This very building, now known as No.1 Building at 33 East Zhongshan No.1 Road, became part of the greater 外滩源 project in 2008. The British Consulate’s functions expanded, and the building evolved into the British Consulate General in Shanghai. It housed various departments, including a Supreme Court. In 1994, 33 East Zhongshan No.1 Road was designated as an “Excellent Historical Building in Shanghai” and in 1996, the Waitanyuan building complex was honored as a “National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit”. The 2008 renovation of 外滩源 unearthed the “Waitanyuan 33 Project”. The original British Consulate and the Consul’s residence were designated as Buildings 1 and 2. The former Mission Building to the north became Building 3. Other structures like the New Temple (Building 4), the former Rowing Club (Building 5), as well as public green spaces, together created a unique space. 外滩源 boasts a rich collection of historical buildings, including a 200-year-old Magnolia grandiflora, the oldest in Shanghai. It’s registered with the number 0662. Today, 外滩源 continues to thrive, playing host to exhibitions and offering a blend of dining, business, and cultural experiences.