Italian Style Street

　　The Italian Style Street is an important part of the Tianjin Italian and Austrian Concession Area, a well-known historical and architectural preservation district.

　　Many films such as *Nanjing, Nanjing!* and *Perfect Match* have also been shot here.

　　1. Origin of the Italian Style Street:

　　In the early 20th century, Tianjin was home to concessions established by eight different countries. Foreigners built numerous European-style buildings here for office and residential use. A century later, if you stroll along the Haihe River in Tianjin today, you can still see these architecturally diverse buildings. In 1900, after the failure of the Boxer Rebellion, the weakened Qing government and representatives of eleven nations signed the humiliating Boxer Protocol. Italy took this opportunity to gain the right to establish a concession in Tianjin. The Italian concession was located between Beian Bridge and Tianjin Railway Station, behind Yuanyang Building (our company's office location). Over a hundred years ago, this area was a salt field. In 1902, Italy appointed a Marine Corps lieutenant named Filete to serve as project manager in charge of planning and constructing the Italian concession. Through this opportunity, an ordinary Italian left a permanent mark on Tianjin’s history. True to their heritage as descendants of the Roman Empire, these Italians didn’t forget to showcase their finest architectural elements even in a foreign land. During the concession’s construction, a comprehensive road network and full public utilities were developed with Marco Polo Square at its center. Housing was mainly built in the style of Italian garden villas, and strict regulations ensured no two buildings along the street looked alike. By the end of 1998, as part of the comprehensive development of the Haihe River, the Italian Style District began its development, making full use of the area’s unique historical and cultural resources. With the goal of highlighting a strong Italian ambiance, it was transformed into a multifunctional comprehensive area integrating tourism, commerce, leisure, entertainment, and cultural heritage. Now nearing completion, a brand-new scenic area is set to be unveiled to the world.

　　2. Classic Architecture: 1) Marco Polo Square: Filete’s ingenuity lay in naming the square not after an invader, as other countries did, but after Marco Polo, a figure linked in history between China and Italy. He named the central square of the concession “Marco Polo” Square, a name that has endured to this day. In contrast, other streets with foreign-sounding names were bluntly renamed to ones of our own choosing—the true owners of this land are and will always be the Chinese. The surrounding villas feature Italian-style corner pavilions, varying in shape—round or square—and column type—circular or square—all adorned with different arches: round, flat, pointed, linked, and with hanging columns. These pavilions, rising and falling in height, create a graceful architectural space and are the only completely preserved Mediterranean-style architecture cluster in Asia. During festivals, oil lamps were placed in these corner pavilions and lit to recreate the splendor of ancient Roman temples. 2) Pelota Club: Not far from Marco Polo Square stands a grand tower-like building, once a venue for sports competitions that served as a front for gambling and profiteering, making it Tianjin’s largest casino. Foreigners called it the “Pelota Club,” while the Chinese dubbed it the “Ruining Furnace” because countless people lost their fortunes and homes after gambling here. In the 1930s, during Japan’s occupation of Tianjin, numerous Italian residents were detained here without food for days. Locals secretly delivered food when Japanese soldiers weren’t looking—how must those once domineering foreigners have felt? 3) Italian Barracks: Tianjin once hosted concessions from eight countries and military garrisons from nine. With the heart of the great Qing Empire under constant watch, unrest was inevitable. The Italian Barracks are the best-preserved foreign barracks in Tianjin. The ground floor of the building served as common areas, while the upper floors housed soldiers’ dormitories. At the time, Italy stationed 999 officers and men here. Later, the barracks were used by Japanese, American, and Nationalist troops.

　　3. Former Residences of Celebrities: Owing to its beautiful surroundings, complete facilities, and rich cultural atmosphere, the Italian concession attracted many cultural figures. Nearly all influential personalities of early 20th-century China had some connection to Tianjin.

　　Figure 1: Liang Qichao, Advocate of the Hundred Days' Reform – After the failure of the Hundred Days’ Reform in 1898, Liang Qichao fled to Japan. After the Xinhai Revolution, he returned to China. In 1912, he purchased land and commissioned Italian architect Pirolo to design his residence, later adding a study called the "Ice-Drinking Studio." Here, Liang authored influential works such as *Methods of Chinese Historical Research* and *An Outline of Qing Dynasty Scholarship*, residing for 15 years until his death.

　　Figure 2: The Short-Lived Emperor – Yuan Shikai: As most know, after training new troops at the Xiaozhan Camp in Tianjin, Yuan’s career soared. After the Xinhai Revolution, he became the first President of the Republic of China. However, not content with the presidency, he sought to become emperor—an act seen today as out of touch with the times, leading to eternal infamy. His Tianjin residence was quite unique, featuring what was called a “hiding room” and an “escape room.” The “hiding room” was a small door on the right side of the second floor, leading to a reinforced concrete staircase with iron railings, connecting to the attic above and the basement below. Closing the door made the staircase’s entrance and exit untraceable. The “escape room” had an iron staircase in the third-floor gazebo, leading directly to a rear garden gate for a quick escape. Moreover, between the second and third floors, there was an octagonal room with windows facing the Haihe River—regardless of tides, the water appeared to flow into the octagonal building, symbolizing endless wealth flowing into the Yuan household. It now houses a restaurant called “Shoufu Restaurant.”

　　Figure 3: The Executioner of the Revolution – Zhang Mingqi: Serving as Governor-General of Guangdong and Guangxi during the Qing Dynasty, he suppressed the Guangzhou Uprising led by Huang Xing, directly causing the massacre of the 72 Martyrs of Huanghuagang. After the Xinhai Revolution, he supported Yuan Shikai’s bid for emperor. When the Japanese arrived, he openly collaborated, earning the scornful nickname “a refugee under foreign protection,” evading public punishment. Yet, he wasn’t entirely wicked; online records show that during his tenure as Guangxi governor, he governed with integrity, implementing reforms that benefited locals—such as training new troops to strengthen border defense, constructing railways, developing mining, promoting education, introducing modern agricultural technology, and founding the Bank of Guangxi. His residence, located at Apollo Square, was an Italian-style courtyard building. If suppressing revolution reflected loyalty to his political stance, then surrendering to the Japanese was utterly despicable. In 1945, as the Japanese Empire crumbled, this man of tarnished legacy died in his courtyard—perhaps realizing that while he could escape human retribution, divine justice was inescapable.

　　Figure 4: Minister of Communications – Wu Yulin: In his youth, Wu was a top student at the Beiyang Naval Academy and studied in Germany, becoming an expert in shipbuilding and mechanical engineering. After returning to China, he held positions as section chief at the Navy Ministry and Minister of Communications, offering insights on naval organization and shipbuilding. Following the defeat of the Zhili Clique, Wu retired to Tianjin, first living in this house before selling it to Tang Yulin, chairman of Rehe Province. During the War of Resistance, he refused Japanese demands to “come out of retirement,” preserving his integrity—though he passed away in 1944, never seeing victory. Wu also contributed to charitable causes in Tianjin and his hometown. In 1939, during Tianjin’s massive floods, he leveraged his influence to organize relief efforts. His Italian concession residence, located on Jianguo Avenue, features Baroque-style architecture from Italy’s Renaissance period, with walls and foundations constructed of granite. The structure includes a main hall and auxiliary halls with large windows and doors, epitomizing high status and maintaining distinctive charm to this day.

　　Figure 5: National Hero – Liu Ran Gong: Founder of the *New Tianjin Daily*, in September 1931, when Japan launched the September 18th Incident and occupied vast swathes of northeast China, Liu was filled with righteous indignation. Through the *New Tianjin Daily*, he actively advocated for resistance against Japan. After Tianjin fell, the newspaper issued an extra, bidding farewell to the citizens and refusing to be exploited by the Japanese. He was tortured to death by Japanese secret agents, and with his dying breath uttered the line: “I... loyal to the country... gave my life... to die... leaving behind... a good... reputation...” Liu’s former residence is a two-story Italian-style connected building and also the only intact historic site of a renowned Tianjin newspaper—the *New Tianjin Daily*.

　　In addition to these celebrity residences, the area also hosts former homes of playwright Cao Yu, famous calligrapher Hua Shikui,

　　Education Commissioner of Zhili Lu Muzhai,

　　Premier Duan Qirui,

　　Japanese Ambassador Zhang Zongxiang,

　　President of Bank of China Li Shiwei, and over 30 other notable figures from modern Chinese history. However, the original street numbers have long vanished, and tracing these residences is beyond my individual capacity. Perhaps once the Italian Style Street is fully completed, visitors will get to glimpse the legacy of these influential figures who shaped China’s destiny.

　　Suggested Duration

　　1–2 hours

　　Transportation

　　Accessible via buses No. 5, 8, 27, 634, 638, 638 Interval, 639, 645, 645 Interval, 663, 672, 676, 802, 806, 806 Interval, 832, 836, 905, 961, and others.

　　Admission Fee

　　Later, you can see the figures who once influenced China.

　　Time Needed

　　1–2 hours

　　Transportation

　　You can take direct buses such as Routes 5, 8, 27, 634, 638, 638 Interval, 639, 645, 645 Interval, 663, 672, 676, 802, 806, 806 Interval, 832, 836, 905, and 961.

　　Admission

　　Free

　　Opening Hours

　　All day

　　Address: No. 39 Guangfu Avenue, Hebei District

　　Phone: 24466555

The Italian Style Street is aAAAAGrade