Shanghai Old Street

Shanghai Old Street is an old business street that has a combination of tourist attractions, shops, entertainment and cultural exhibits. It owes its special social attractions and rich commercial background to the fact that the earliest bank, gold shop, jeweler's store, wine shop and tea house of the city were all to be found here.

The architecture and the layout of the shops in this street show its development that began during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) until the period when European influence made an impact on the city. The western part of this old street begins at South Henan Road and continues to Guanyi Street. The buildings here reflect the style of the Ming and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties and the architecture is elegant in its classic simplicity. The eastern end of the street, with a length of 500 meters ends at Renmin Road and after reconstruction and decoration retains the residential characteristics of later Qing Dynasty. Although there are several European buildings, they don't contradict the styles of old Shanghai. On the contrary, they are a vital part of the diverse culture here.

Shops purveying handicraft articles, paintings, calligraphies and jewelry are well-appointed and give you plenty of variety from which to choose what you want. On the eastern part, old shops such as the Tong Han Chun Pharmacy, Lao Tong Sheng Food Store, Wu Liang Cai Glass Shop, De Shun restaurant, take you back to the Shanghai of 100 years ago. In the Chun Feng De Yi Lou teahouse, you can enjoy Yuanbao Tea served with two olives in it. On weekends, the Pingtan (Suzhou Ballads) are performed here too. In the Old Tea House, the owner has on display a collection of fifty cheongsams, traditionally styled ladies dresses, dating from the 1930s. By contrast at the western end of the street is where items of folk culture may be bought. The antique shops, embroidery houses and wonderful fabric shops symbolize the commercial prosperity of the area.

上海老街，原名方浜中路，西起河南南路，东至人民路，全长825米，由西到东的建筑风格和业态布局展示了老上海从明清向民国直至西洋文化涌入时期的一段历史文化的演变。全街的商业经营以传统特色行业为主流，突出传统民俗文化，营造海派文化氛围。

上海老街以馆驿街为界分为东西两段，东段经过装饰和改造，保留了清末民国初年的民居特色，老街两侧恢复了花格窗、排门板、范氏栏杆、落地摇杆门等，再配以屋顶上的飞檐翘角，花边滴水和马头墙。西段的房屋外立面仿明清建筑，突出上海老城厢的民俗风情。

上海老街重现了童涵春、老同盛、吴良材、万有全、裘天宝、老上海茶馆、德顺酒菜馆、春风得意楼、西施豆腐房、丁娘子布庄、荣顺馆、博印堂等百年老店，同时开设丹凤茶楼、名医堂等富有传统特色的商铺。它和北侧的'明星街'一起向您呈现出老上海商旅百业、市井百态的一幅'清明上河图'。