Modern China is developing and changing rapidly, which causes amazement and undisguised interest of foreigners. Everything is renewed here at such a speed that it is difficult to understand how the city once seen after some ten years changes beyond recognition.
Each metropolis of this country deserves a detailed description, but the city we are going to talk about today must be noted specifically. Chongqing, located in the central part of the country, is officially recognized as the most densely populated and largest metropolis. The latest census revealed a striking fact: about 40 million people live in the conglomerate, while only 7.5 million are officially registered.
The city occupies a vast territory, the area of which is larger than the territory of Austria. What else is remarkable about Chongqing? What to see, where to go in this city? We will try to answer these questions, and the advice of experienced travelers will help us in this.
Chongqing: geographical location
The city is located in the east of the Sichuan basin surrounded by mountains. Its geographical coordinates: 29 ° 33 '46 "N and 106 ° 33' 10" E Chongqing crosses the Yangtze River, in the center of the city the Jiayujiang River flows into it. This metropolis is located in the southwestern region of the country, bordered in the east by the provinces of Hubei and Hunan, with Sichuan in the west, with Guizhou in the south, and in the north with Shaanxi.
Chongqing stretches from west to east for 470 kilometers, from south to north - for 450. The city covers an area of over 82 thousand square kilometers, most of which are occupied by rural suburbs, and the smaller - by urban development.
Some historical facts
The history of this city has over three thousand years. During the reign of the Shang Dynasty, the place where the city is today was the capital of the Ba kingdom. During the Qin era (221 BC), Ba Prefecture was created. Under the Tang and Sui dynasties (581–907), it was renamed Yu Province, and the city began to bear the same name.
From 960 to 1127, the province was called Gong. In the period from 1368 to 1911, under the Ming and Qing dynasties, the city became a major transportation hub.
XIX century
Chongqing became an important open port with customs in 1891. At this time, there was a flourishing in trade, shipping, processing industry of the country. Gradually, it turned into a nodal point that connected the south-west of the country with the upper Yangtze and neighboring countries.
XX century
The official status of the city of Chongqing received in 1929. Eight years later (1937), shortly before the Japanese troops occupied the city, Chinese government institutions moved here from Nanjing. In 1939, Chongqing was directly subordinate to the government of the Republic of China.
From 1940 to 1946, Chongqing was the "second capital" of the country, the center of its political, cultural, economic and foreign policy life. After the proclamation of the PRC (1949), Chongqing remained for some time a city of central subordination. In 1954, after the abolition of the administrative division of the country, Chongqing began to belong to the cities of provincial subordination.
Chongqing Attractions: Jiefangbei Pedestrian Street
As you can see, the city has an interesting and long history. It is unlikely that one of the tourists will have a question: "What to see in Chongqing?" Nevertheless, we want to introduce some of its most interesting places.
Jiefanbei Street is located in the city center. Here, locals love to walk and make appointments. On this street is the People’s Liberation Monument, many hotels, the House of the People’s Assembly, restaurants and shops.
Chaotianmen Square
It is located in the eponymous district located at the confluence of the Jialing and Yangtze rivers. Its name translates as "gates." Near the square at the berths there are small cruise boats, on which tourists are offered to go on a river trip through East China.
Old Town Tsytsikou
Experienced travelers recommend starting exploring the ancient sights of Chongqing in China from this old city located on the banks of the Jialing River. The town is small: two or three streets with cafes, restaurants and small shops. There are all conditions for tourists coming here for souvenirs and shows.
Traditional Chinese architecture has survived here, despite the active development of the city in the 90s of the last century. That is why guests from different countries believe that this Chongqing attraction is one of the best places to appreciate the contrast between China's past and its present. Here, skyscrapers and huge traffic intersections are wonderfully combined with narrow streets and small houses, whose age reaches several hundred years.
Zoo
This is the attraction of Chongqing, which will certainly interest not only adults, but also young travelers. In the southern part of the city is a zoo with an area of more than 45 hectares. Almost two hundred species of animals and more than a thousand species of birds live here in comfortable conditions. The pride of the zoo is the pandas family, for which a separate territory is allocated. Small pandas live here, very different from their larger counterparts, they are more like foxes, and they are slightly larger in size than domestic cats.
Here you can see other rare animals, for example, the South Chinese tiger, which is on the verge of extinction. This animal is no longer in the wild, and no more than 30 individuals live in zoos.
Fandu Ghost Town
This is an amazing attraction of Chongqing, which can only be seen during a tour of the Yangtze along the Small Gorges. Usually boats make stops in Fandu. There are many temples in this ancient city. After the dam was completed, Fandu almost completely went under water, however, some of the structures remained.
According to a legend that locals love to tell, Fendu is a place where evil spirits and even the Devil himself live.
Shibaozhzhai Temple
He will be interested in connoisseurs of religious sights. Chongqing has several temples. One of them is located on a mountain about two hundred meters high and resembles a pagoda of a conical shape. Shibaozhzhai is built into the mountain and stands out against its background only in red.
Neighborhoods of the city: rock relief in Datsu
Many interesting places can be seen in the vicinity of Chongqing. A two-hour drive from the city is a unique complex of rock reliefs. About fifty thousand sculptures, statues and images are located in 75 places. The first reliefs appeared in this area at the end of the 9th century. The most famous sculpture is in the Dazu area. This is the 31-meter Nirvana Shakyamuni, depicting the Buddha on vacation. The complex is included in the UNESCO heritage list and is protected by the state.
Fuzhong Cave
In Oolong County, located in the vicinity of Chongqing, is another UNESCO World Heritage Site. This is Fuzhong Cave, formed over 500 million years ago. It consists of a horizontal and vertical cave. Archaeologists have found here clusters of many ancient rocks: calcite, aragonite, gypsum, etc. The total length of the cave is 2.8 thousand meters, and the area of the largest hall is 11 thousand square meters.
Annually, over five thousand tourists examine it, wishing to make memorable photos and learn more about the history of this attraction. For the safety of visitors, suspended structures and special passages are located in several sections of the cave.
Tourists reviews
Today, our compatriots are increasingly sent to China. Chongqing is one of the most popular and most visited cities in the country. The vast majority of tourists enjoyed the trip. Many believe that the trip to Chongqing left vivid impressions and pleasant memories. They advise you to definitely get acquainted with its monuments of history and architecture, which in some incredible way organically combine with the modern buildings of the city.