Tianjin Ancient Culture Street and the Tianjin Eye

Restored Qing Style Shopping Street By The Haihe River And The Ferris Wheel Built Into The Yongle Bridge · Tianjin, Tianjin

The old Chinese heart of Tianjin, on the west bank of the Hai River, where a street of Qing-style shopfronts runs between two gates hung with lanterns and painted beams. Ancient Culture Street was rebuilt in the 1980s along the lane that led to the Tianhou Palace, a temple to the sea goddess Mazu founded in 1326 and among the oldest surviving buildings in the city - a reminder that Tianjin grew as a port where seafarers prayed before sailing. The shops sell the crafts the city is known for: Yangliuqing new year woodblock prints, Clay Figure Zhang painted figurines, kites, knotted cord and paper cuts, along with fried snacks and tea. A 2024 restoration returned the street's facades to an older look and brought in new heritage tenants, and it now stays lively late. A short walk north, the Tianjin Eye is a Ferris wheel built into the deck of the Yongle Bridge and turning over the river itself, the only one of its kind; at night its lit rim reflects in the water, and a slow rotation gives a view across the concession quarters to the towers of the new city.

Ancient Culture Street, Nankai District, Tianjin, Tianjin, China

Ancient Culture Street free and open all day; the Tianjin Eye about 9:30-22:00, with Monday maintenance leaving it open only 18:00-22:00 (check).

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