Former Site of Shantou General Post Office

Former Site of Shantou General Post Office

The former site of the Shantou General Post Office is a cultural relic protection unit of Guangdong Province.

The building of the Shantou General Post Office is located opposite the Shantou Port-Opening Culture Exhibition Hall and is commonly known as the "Old Anping Post and Telecommunications Office" or "Anping Post Office." Built in 1922, it has stood for nearly a century. Compared to other structures in the old town, the old post office is remarkably well-preserved and is one of only two European-style postal buildings in Guangdong Province that remain the most intact. If you visit the old town, this is a must-see spot. Many overseas Chinese return here to revisit childhood memories, and it’s also a popular spot for couples in wedding attire to take photos.

The main structure of the old post office has two floors. The word “Post” carved above the main entrance is still very clear. Under the gabled roof are decorative triangular pediments with a sunburst pattern. The base is made of granite, and the tall columns are Greek-style with swirling designs. The high wooden louvers give the entire building a solemn, dignified, and mysterious feel. The second floor is set back to form a balcony, giving the building another characteristic of the Chaoshan arcade architectural style, making it one of the most spectacular buildings in Shantou at the time. It’s said that most of the materials used in the construction were imported from abroad, resulting in thick walls that keep the interior warm in winter and cool in summer.

Although the Shantou General Post Office building is nearly a hundred years old, its exterior remains intact, and the structure is well-preserved. However, due to technical issues such as pile driving during its construction, the foundation has slightly subsided. The words “Post Office,” originally carved above the main entrance, are still clearly visible. The cement stairs, stair railings, lattice doors, frosted glass, wooden floors, and Roman columns all retain their original architectural features. Walking up to the second floor through a side door, the original cement staircase remains, and the stair railings are also originals, featuring uniquely shaped square steel bars with a solid wood handrail. Straight ahead is a long corridor with rooms on both sides, their solid wood lattice doors adorned with frosted glass. The indoor wooden floors, louvered windows, and the Roman columns outside the terrace still maintain the architectural style of the time.

Whether in terms of overall design, external appearance, or internal structure, the post office building is a structure with a unique architectural style and artistic value. In the early 1990s, the Shantou General Post Office building was once included in the scope of old city redevelopment. Fortunately, thanks to the efforts of some visionary individuals, it was preserved. It still serves as a postal facility, housing the Letter Branch of the Shantou Post Bureau, and is also the only philatelic retail outlet in the urban area. A newly built artificial hill and waterscape have been added on one side of the front of the building, while the side facing the road features flower beds and trees.

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Further Reading:

· Ninth Batch of Cultural Relic Protection Units of Guangdong Province