Italian Garden Residential Complex at Marco Polo Plaza

Italian Garden Residential Complex at Marco Polo Plaza

The Italian Garden Residential Complex at Marco Polo Plaza is a protected cultural heritage site of Tianjin.

Italian Garden Residential Complex at Marco Polo Plaza

Era: Late Qing and Early Republican Period (1908–1916)

Address: Intersection of Minzu Road and Ziyou Avenue, Hebei District, Tianjin

Category: Important Modern Historical Sites and Representative Buildings

In June 1902 (the 28th year of the Guangxu reign in the Qing Dynasty), Italian Ambassador Galina and Tianjin Customs Commissioner Tang Shaoyi signed an agreement. From 1908 to 1916, over an eight-year period, a perfectly designed, colorful, and uniquely styled Italian Garden Villa Residential Complex at Marco Polo Plaza was constructed. The buildings are of brick-and-wood structure, all two stories high with semi-basements, totaling six villas. The complex is divided into three groups, surrounding the circular Marco Polo Plaza. The interior decoration of each group is largely the same: the first floor consists of living rooms and reception areas, while the second floor includes bedrooms and bathrooms. Their main differences lie in the flat-roofed pavilions atop the towers, which feature flat arches, round arches, and pointed arches. Overall, the architectural style is elegant and distinctive.