Huangpu Park – a little oasis in a bustling modern city

Everyone deserves a respite once in a while to get away from the bustling atmospheres, whether indoor or outdoor. This is when parks and gardens in and around bustling urban areas come in handy. What’ more can you ask for than striking vistas wrapped in lush greenery topped with cool fresh zephyrs to purify your lungs?

Shanghai, the largest city of China, is no exception as it contributes wonderful getaways teeming with greenery right across the city. There are several famous parks and gardens in Shanghai that have become oases for ones seeking stress free moments, workout spaces as well as family picnics.

Shanghai has a number of famous parks like the Yu Yuan and Fuxing. Yu Yuan is a traditional Chinese garden with a history that extends up to 400 years while Fuxing Park is a paradigm for a park that flaunts French influence. When you reach the famous Bund that sits in the Huangpu District of Shanghai, you will come across a small triangular green patch. This is the renowned Huangpu Park that snuggles a bunch of surprises and delights together with inspiring tales from the past.

Huangpu Gongyuan, as the locals call it, sits towards the north tip of the Bund. The Bund is one of the most frequented attractions in Shanghai, which is a promenade that lets you view an architectural spectacle. Lined up across the road are some of the famous historical buildings of Shanghai flaunting multifarious architectures that make up a spellbinding skyline. And the Bund is the best place to absorb their glamour and workmanship, leisurely yet thoroughly.

Many who take pleasure strolls along the Bund don’t forget to drop by the Huangpu Park. The site where Huangpu Park sits today is the very site China saw its first public park known as the Public Garden. Opened in 1886 the old park was complemented with European style landscapes, tennis courts and pavilions. Being off limits to the locals those days, the park was exclusively for the entertainment and recreation of the foreigners who used to call Shanghai their home. After World War II it was opened to the locals and renamed Huangpu Park.

Amidst the lush landscape of the Huangpu Park rises a 24 metre high structure that resembles three gigantic rifles huddled up and pointed upwards. This is the Monument to the People’s Heroes that remember and honour the lives of freedom fighters as well as victims who fought against natural catastrophes.

Another interesting landmark you will find at the charming Huangpu Park is the Bund Museum. Nestled within a small signal tower the museum hosts a photo exhibition narrating the story behind the Bund. On its second floor you can watch movie clips that will take you back into old Shanghai. And for those who enjoy panoramic vistas there is an observation tower at its third floor where you can observe scenic views of the nearby Huangpu River.

Among other highlights of Huangpu Park are the people who practise tai chi daily. If you arrive early to the park you can catch their morning exercises where locals workout through a traditional martial art technique that offers great health and spiritual benefits.

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