In 2007 PiChai Yuan (Firewood Court), located in Qingdao Old Town on Zhongshan Road, was restored to reflect its historical relevance in Qingdao’s cultural history. Other popular destinations include: SiFang Lu, ZheJiang Lu, YiShui Lu, GuangXi Lu, Taiping Lu, etc.
Qingdao Old Town (Tsingtao)
Grandfather passing on some Qingdao history. Photograph taken May 17th, 2012 at Fire Wood Court (劈柴院 PiChai Yuan) on Zhongshan Road in the internationally historic Qingdao Old Town. ~ Photograph © Colton Dirks
Qingdao Old Town (TsingTau; TsingTao) is located on the western end of ShiNan District starting from ZhongShan Road heading both north to GuanTao Road and east to GuangXi Road towards DaXue Road and Ocean University of China. In the early 20th century Old Town was extended eastward towards LaoShan. The most eastern part of Old Town includes Badaguan (八大关) Scenic Area.
Popular Attractions in Qingdao Old Town
- Tsingtao Brewery Museum
- Qingdao Beer Street
- Badaguan
- Qingdao Bathing Beach #2
- Qingdao Governor’s Mansion
- Zhongshan Park – Qingdao
- Qingdao Hill Forts Park
- Hill Forts Park War Museum
- Qingdao Naval Museum
- LuXun Park
- PiChai Yuan
- XinHaoShan Park (Signal Hill Park)
- Xiao Qingdao Park (Little Qingdao Island)
- Qingdao BaiHua Park
- Qingdao TaiPingShan Park
- Qingdao Botanical Park
- Qingdao Underwater World
- ZhanQiao Pier
- ZhanShan Temple
- TianHou Palace Temple (Qingdao Folk Custom Museum)
- Lutheran Church (Protestant Church)
- St. Michael’s Cathedral
ZhanQiao Pier (栈桥) or loading pier is located at the southern end of ZhongShan Road in Qingdao (TsingTao) Old Town. This structure was built by the Germans in 1891 and expanded in 1931 and 1985 to include the iconic Huilan Pavilion which is the centerpiece of the logo found on China’s international Tsingtao Beer.
Fred Greguras, a former US Marine, came to Qingdao to trace the footsteps of the 6th Marine Division stationed here in Qingdao (Tsingtao) back in 1945 at the end of World War II to assist Chiang Kai-Shek’s government in the surrender and disarmament of Japanese troops.
This report by Fred Greguras (UPDATED 9/6/2020) is intended to provide some context for the location of Marine billets in Tsingtao from 1945-49. The primary purpose of this compilation is to help find Marine Corps historical places when visiting Qingdao (Tsingtau). Additions and corrections are welcomed. The 6th Marine Division less the 4th Marine regiment…
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Snowman – Qingdao Old Town
Qingdaoren (Qingdaonese) give us a taste of what an urban Snowman looks like in Qingdao Old Town. The old town hospitality is genuine and sincere. If you come to China’s Sailing City you should definitely meander the streets of Old Tsingtao!
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New York Bar – Qingdao Old Town 1940
TsingTao New York Bar photographed in 1940 by Harold “Harry” Carrico, a former United States Naval Officer on the SS Pike (a.k.a. Submarine 173), prior to the Japanese strike on Pearl Harbor, Oahu Island, Hawaii on 7 December 1941.
Need a ride? As all residents and travelers to Qingdao should know it is nearly impossible to get a taxi from 8:00am to 9:00am or 4:00pm to 6:00pm. The city’s public transportation system offers a reliable alternative, especially with the new Metro set to open 2014.
A local Qingdao resident demonstrates how to properly drink Tsingtao draft brew from a bag. You will find loads of photographs on the internet depicting local residents buying the golden nectar from their favorite street vender who serves it to them in a bag.
Tsingtao beer’s iconic structure Zhan Qiao Pier is closed this summer for structural repairs and storm reinforcement. The last few typhoons took its toll on one of Qingdao’s most popular tourist attractions causing its closure until the end of 2013.
St. Michael’s Cathedral, constructed by the Divine Word Missionaries (abbreviated “SVD,” from their Latin name: Societas Verbi Divini), is located in Qingdao (TsingTao) Old Town at 15 ZheJiang Road. The Catholic Protestant Church was completed in 1934.
Qingdao’s first Beach Hotel, located across from famous Bathing Beach Number One, was formally called Prinz Heinrich Hotel. Constructed in 1907 and sometimes referred to as New World Hotel, it was the sailing city’s premier beach resort in the early 1900s.
The German Gouverneurspalast or Governor’s Palace, located in Qingdao (TsingTao) Old Town, began construction in 1904 and was completed in January 1906. Also called Jiaozhou Governor’s Hall it was designed German architect Mahlke and constructed by F.H. Schmidt Company.
The Christian Protestant (Lutheran) Church, perched on top of a hill looking south towards Qingdao Bay, is kitty-corner from the old American Consulate and German Naval Hospital. The church is located at 15 JiangSu Road across from 1 YiShui Road in Qingdao (TsingTao) Old Town.
Seaman’s Club or German Navy Club: located at 17 HuBei Road began construction in 1901 and was completed in 1902. It was later used as the Japanese Club during their occupation until the end of WWII in1945 when the U.S. Troops were stationed in Qingdao (Tsingtao).
The former headquarters of the Shandong Railway & Mining Company is located in the No. 14 Guangxi Road courtyard (广西路14号院内) on the corner of Taiping and JiangSu Road in Qingdao (TsingTao) Old Town. It began construction in 1899 and was completed in 1902.
Zhong Shan Road in 1867 – 2013. At that time TsingTau was an early global trading post for HAPAG a German shipping company that spanned the whole world with the company slogan of “Mein Feld ist die Welt!“ which means “My Field is the World.”
The German School for Boys, located in Qingdao (TsingTau) Old Town at 9 JiangSu Road was designed by Bernartz and began construction by the Picorro Company from China in 1900. It was completed in 1901 and is currently the JiangSu Road Primary School.
The Prinz Heinrich Street Hairdresser is located in Qingdao Old Town on the corner of GuangXi and AnHui Roads, just across the street from the Old JiaoZhou Post Office.
The site of the former Imperial Court of Kiaochow is located in Old Town on the corner of DeXian and YiShui Roads, kitty-corner to the Qingdao People’s Congress Standing Committee Government Building.
St. Paul’s Church is located in Qingdao Old Town on the corner of JiaoDong and GuanXiang 2nd Road, just down the hill from GuanXiangShan park and across the street from the Municipal Hospital. Construction of St. Paul’s Church was completed in 1941.
The site of the former Divine Word Mission Hall – Societas Verbi Divini (SVD), located in Qingdao Old Town on the corner of QuFu and ZheJiang Roads, is a religious missionary congregation in the Latin Church.
Tsingtao Dark Draft is a rare find anywhere in Qingdao. Sure you can always find some on Beer Street, or the underground food court near Qingdao Zhan Qiao (Loading Pier), but nothing beats enjoying a dark draft while people watching at Huangdao Road Open Air Market.
12 JiangSu Road, Qingdao Old Town: The second residence of the adjutant to the Commander of the German Navy was completed in 1904 and eventually served as the Headquarters of the Germany Navy Battalion.
The former Qingdao Railway Station Hotel, completed in 1910, is located in Old Town on LanShan Road situated just 50 meters east of the ShiNan District Train Station and across the bay from Shandong’s primer Economic and Technological Development Zone.
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“No Parking” – Qingdao Old Town
Qingdao has a funky mix of architecture, sometimes enhanced by the flavor of the new generation, which gives travelers to this once sleepy fishing village a special treat with lots of buildings,beaches, and people to photograph.
The Christian Church, designed by Curt Rothkegel of Germany and completed in 1910, is located on the corner of JiangSu and YiShui Roads in Qingdao.
Prinz Heinrich Hotel, located in Qingdao Old Town and named after German Emperor William II’s brother Prince Henry, was designed by Curt Rothkegel.
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Tsingtao Draft Beer & Gala
While taking a stroll through Qingdao Old Town you might want to grab some local “Gala” and have it cooked at your favorite Tsingtao draft keg stall.
The former Marquis Courtyard Hotel is located in Qingdao Old Town at 37 GuangXi Road. It was constructed in 1906 of red brick and Laoshan Granite.
Located in Qingdao Old Town on ZhongShan Road is the former site of Qingdao’s first Bank of Communications China (BOCC).
Got Coffee? Well Qingdao has lots of it! Here you can find Social Java Stalls like Starbucks & SPR, as well as Korean run joints like Kona & Mission.
The former site of the Bismarck Barracks, located in Qingdao Old Town at 5 HongDao Road, is west of QingdaoShan Park and just a short 10 minute walk.
The former site of the Japanese Stock Exchange, located in Qingdao Old Town at 22 GuanTao Road, is north of ZhongShan Road.
The former site of the German Police Headquarters, located at 29 HeBei Road in Qingdao Old Town, is located just a short 10 minute walk from the train station.
Located in Qingdao Old Town, The Kiaochow Imperial Court Prison for Europeans was Qingdao’s first Public Security Bureau Detention House.
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YMCA – Qingdao Old Town
The former site of the Qingdao YMCA (Young Men’s Christian Association), built between 1899 and 1914 during the German Occupation.
The Red Swastika Society of Qingdao (世界红卍字会) was a voluntary association founded in 1922 by Qian Nengxun (錢能訓), Du Bingyin (杜秉寅), etc.
The former site of the Japanese Middle School, built in 1921, is located on Yushan Road inside the Ocean University of China, Qingdao campus.
This majestic villa constructed in 1907 and located on YiShui Road in Qingdao Old Town was the former residence of Diederich.
This Qingdao Old Town villa was built in 1899 and served as the headquarters of the Second German Navy Battalion as well as the officers’ living quarters.
The former American Consulate in Qingdao’s Old Town was designed by Schmidt of Germany and built in 1912 as a private residence.
Qingdao YiShui Road has a rich international history and is perhaps the best place to start your sightseeing journey through Qingdao’s Old Town.
The Old Town German Military Hospital began construction in 1898 and was completed in 1904 along with the Tsingtao Beer Factory, now museum.
Qingdao’s first beer factory, located at 56 DengZhou Road, was built in 1904 during the German concession with only its product in mind – Beer!
Qingdao’s Old Town is scattered with historical attractions and hidden gems like the old Fire Watchtower located at the top of GuanXiang 1st Road.
Qingdao Old Town – AnHui Road: Site of the old Jiao Ao Post Office and now the Qingdao Postal and Telecommunications Museum.
Qingdao’s Old town offers both domestic and international tourists a glimpse into the sailing city’s tumultuous history.