Nanmen Sightseeing Dyke

Nanmen Sightseeing Dyke

Chongming Island, known as the "Island of the East China Sea" and the "Pearl of the Yangtze River," saw the full completion of another major people-oriented project jointly funded by the municipal and county governments — the Nanmen Riverside Scenic Dyke (also referred to as the Seawall Compliance Project) — on October 20, 2000. With an investment of over 10 million yuan, the scenic dyke was officially opened to the public on the eve of the new century.

The scenic dyke stretches 670 meters from the No. 3 Wharf of Yatong in the west to the eastern side of Yingzhou Park in the east. The entire front face of the dyke is constructed with reinforced concrete. It features 15 sloped rest platforms, each 30 meters long with 11–12 steps, and two levels of water-friendly terraces set according to the tide line at heights of 3.65 meters and 6.85 meters. The dyke is equipped with three light strips and features service amenities such as leisure chairs, speakers, and telephone booths laid out along its colorful brick-paved surface.

The iconic structure in the middle section of the dyke is a magnificent set of nine Roman-style arches, the tallest of which stands 12 meters high in the center. Directly in front of the arches, a 4.8-meter-high granite stele is erected on the embankment, featuring a proud, upright carving of the shape of Chongming Island.

The construction of the Nanmen Riverside Scenic Dyke incorporates advanced concepts of "people-oriented design" and harmonious integration with nature. It serves not only as a coiling dragon-like structure capable of withstanding once-in-a-century storm surges and 12-level typhoons, but also as a new tourist and leisure attraction on the island.