Former Site of the Austro-Hungarian Consulate

Former Site of the Austro-Hungarian Consulate

The former site of the Austro-Hungarian Consulate is a cultural relic protection unit of Tianjin.

Original Site of the Austrian Consulate

Time period: Late Qing Dynasty

Address: Southern side at the western end of Jianguo Road, Hebei District, Tianjin

Category: Important modern historical sites and representative buildings

In the 26th year of the Guangxu reign (1900), after the Eight-Nation Alliance occupied Tianjin, on October 17, the Austrian government instructed the Austrian ambassador to China to notify the diplomatic corps that Austria should be granted the same rights as the great powers and would also establish a consulate and a leased territory in Tianjin. On November 28, 1902 (the 28th year of Guangxu), Tang Shaoyi, the Daotai of Tianjin Customs, and the acting Austrian consul in Tianjin signed the “Tianjin Austrian Concession Charter Contract,” which delineated the boundaries of the Austrian concession. This concession remained until 1917 when the Chinese government reclaimed the Austrian concession in China. The reclaimed area was subsequently renamed Special Zone No. 2.

The original site of the Austrian Consulate is a two-story Western-style building constructed with brick and wood. Behind the building is a terrace, and in front there is a courtyard enclosed by a brick flower wall. Originally purchased as a private residence by Ji Jinzhai, owner of the Dunqinglong Silk and Cloth Shop. As the area gradually prospered, the street-facing wall was rebuilt into a two-story “facade” with a central gateway for vehicle access. Before liberation, this site served as the district office of Special Zone No. 2. After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the rear building was reconstructed as an office building by the Hebei District Housing Management Bureau, while the front building once housed a chemical sales department and some residential units.

Further reading:

· Fourth Batch of Tianjin Cultural Relic Protection Units