Former Site of the British Consulate in Wuhu

Former Site of the British Consulate in Wuhu

The former site of the British Consulate in Wuhu is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

The former British Consulate in Wuhu is located on Fanluo Mountain in Jinghu District, Wuhu City. In the third year of the Guangxu reign during the Qing Dynasty (1877), the British successively constructed three two-story Western-style buildings halfway up to the top of Fanluo Mountain. All are of brick-and-wood structure with arched verandas. The main building faces south, is 25.38 meters wide, 17.10 meters deep, and 9.70 meters high, with a construction area of nearly 900 square meters. There are deep arched verandas on the east, south, and west sides, each 3.5 meters deep, featuring upright columns and elegant round arches. The lower part of the buildings is built on a stone base, and the veranda columns are made of high-quality red bricks. The hipped roof is covered with dark-colored corrugated iron sheets, complemented by white porch stone pillars and continuous arches. Blue bricks are sandwiched between the arches, creating a harmonious and soft color scheme. The main entrance is on the south side, with secondary entrances on the east and west. Between the buildings is an octagonal hall, with two offices on each side, each equipped with a fireplace. Behind the hall is an elaborately decorated three-flight wooden staircase leading to the second floor, where the consulate officers' quarters are located. Below the staircase platform, there is an exit leading to auxiliary rooms in the backyard. An auxiliary staircase in the northwest corner leads to the third floor, from which six dormer windows provide views in all directions.

The second building is an early Republican-era structure. It faces southeast, has two floors, six bays, is 34.4 meters wide, 13.5 meters deep, and 3.5 meters high per floor. It features a red brick wall, external corridors, rectangular doors, louvre windows, and has fireplaces inside.

The third building is also an early Republican-era structure. It faces south, has two floors, seven bays, is 20 meters wide, 17.2 meters deep, and 3.5 meters high per floor. It features a red brick wall, external corridors, arched doors, and louvre windows.

In May 2013, the State Council (State Council Document [2013] No. 13) announced the former site of the British Consulate in Wuhu as a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Protected Area: 20 meters east, 30 meters south, 50 meters west, and 20 meters north of the exterior walls of each building.

Construction Control Zone: Same as the Protected Area.

Further Reading:

· Seventh Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units