Central Street

Originally built in 1898 with the name "China Street", it was renamed as the "Central Street" in 1925 and later developed into the most prosperous commercial street in the city. Starting from the Memorial Tower of Fighting against the Floods of Songhua River to the north and extending to the Jingwei Street to the south, it is 1,450 meters long, 21.34 meters wide, of which 10.8 meters are paved with square stones and were once used by vehicles. There are 71 European style structures as well as 13 structures of Renaissance, Baroque, eclecticism and modern style under protection. This street has incorporated the four most influential styles of western architecture, reflecting the glamorous history of cultural development of nearly 300 years in Europe. Now it is the city's fifth avenue with throngs of tourists and locals enjoying their shopping spree and appreciating the European style buildings. In 1997, the street was rebuilt to become a pedestrian street. With its unique European style buildings, numerous shops, beautiful recreational area and colorful cultural life, the street has become an important scenic spot in Harbin.