Former Site of the Banque de l'Indochine

Former Site of the Banque de l'Indochine

The former site of the Banque de l'Indochine is a cultural relic protection unit of Tianjin.

The former site of the Banque de l'Indochine is located at No. 77-79 Jiefang North Road, Heping District. It is a cultural relic protection unit of Tianjin and classified as a key historical building under the city's top-tier preservation status.

The Banque de l'Indochine was a French domestic bank, founded in 1875 with its headquarters in Paris, France. It began expanding its business to China in 1888. Its Tianjin branch was established in 1907, mainly handling import and export bills of exchange and foreign exchange trading. In 1903, it represented France in the Five-Power Banking Consortium and signed the “Reconstruction Loan” agreement with the Beiyang Government. After the outbreak of the Pacific War, the bank used political means to secure the leading position among foreign banks in Tianjin. After the founding of New China, with approval from the Bank of China, it briefly became an authorized bank for foreign exchange transactions, before ceasing operations in China in 1957.

This building was completed in 1912 and was constructed by the Belgian firm S.C. Fives-Lille based on design blueprints provided by the bank’s head office in Paris. It is a three-story brick-and-wood structure originally designed with 50 rooms, plus four basement rooms. The main entrance faces Jiefang North Road; upon entering through the main door, you reach the banking hall, while the northeast side leads to the inner courtyard.

The Banque de l'Indochine building reflects influences of eclecticism, incorporating numerous classical European architectural decorative elements. The base is built with natural stone, and the first-floor exterior features horizontal lines rendered in cement. Door and window tops are adorned with various arched designs, with keystones or pediments above the arches. The main entrance utilizes a second-floor balcony to form a canopy, supported by two columns beneath, topped with a variation of the Ionic column style.

The main façade on the second and third floors is predominantly red brick, with decorative patterns created through the offset placement of bricks. Exterior windows, balconies, and other features are embellished with a variety of classical European decorative motifs such as pediments, resulting in an extremely ornate appearance.

The roof is flat, with a parapet adorned with Western-style classical balustrades in the shape of vases. At the roof’s corners, three uniquely styled pavilions were installed. These pavilions were destroyed during the 1976 earthquake but were restored to their former glory following protective restoration work in 2009.

Today, this red building also houses the Western Art Museum, adding a strong artistic atmosphere to the structure.

Further Reading:

· Fourth Batch of Cultural Relic Protection Units in Tianjin