Temple of the City Gods

While you're shopping on the streets of old Shanghai, or after a leisure walk through beautiful Yuyuan Garden, be sure to visit the Temple of the City Gods. Its second name is the Chénghuángmiào Temple. During its existence, the religious structure has suffered enough from various sorrows and misfortunes along with Shanghai. Nevertheless, the city continues to grow and actively develop, and the temple still stands in the center of the metropolis and welcomes followers of Taoism and tourists who want to escape and relax from the hustle and bustle of the world.

As you have already understood, the life of the Temple of the City Gods was full of bright but sad events. Every time it was literally restored from the ashes to become one of the most favorite attractions of residents and visitors of Shanghai. The Temple of the City Gods was built in 1403, but was originally located in another place of the city. It was destroyed and rebuilt many times until its new version appeared in 1926.

This new building of the temple is an interesting example of traditional Shanghai architecture. It is made of dark stone and resembles several nearby pagodas, built as if they were placed on top of each other. This unusual appearance of the Temple of the City Gods appeared due to the intricate multi-level roof.

The building is decorated with traditional and really popular Chinese lanterns, which give it a festive look. The exterior facades and the interior are painted with hieroglyphs, and the design mostly consists of golden and red hues.

The Temple of the City Gods looks especially impressive after sunset, when it literally begins to glow from within and create an atmosphere of warmth and magic around it. This unforgettable entourage makes travelers return here again and again.

Despite the calm and tranquil vibe of the Temple of the City Gods, its courtyard is full of life. There is a popular tourist tea house and a small square, which often hosts noisy fairs.