The former site of the Shuangmazhai Buildings

The former site of the Shuangmazhai Buildings

The Shuangmazhai Buildings were originally auxiliary structures of the British Consulate. After the British Consulate withdrew in 1922, they were handed over to the British "Anglican" Church for use as residences for British missionaries. After 1940, the buildings served as school sites for five different primary and secondary schools. During the War of Resistance against Japan, the Guangzhou-based church school "Holy Trinity" Middle School relocated via Hong Kong to the Shuangmazhai Buildings to continue its operations. They now serve as staff dormitories for the city’s No. 1 Middle School.

The Shuangmazhai Buildings consist of two Western-style arcade buildings situated 32 meters apart, each with a floor area of 393 square meters. Because the two buildings share an identical design and resemble twin brothers, they are called Shuangmazhai (meaning "Twin Towers"). They are among the earliest Western-style buildings in Beihai and stand as historical evidence of the British establishment of diplomatic and missionary footholds in the area.