the east bank
Lujiazui and the Oriental Pearl Tower: the east bank
A peninsula on a bend of the river, a financial district built from the 1990s, and the tower that started it.
Reserve a Huangpu night cruise ↗The east bank in brief
| Place | Fact |
|---|---|
| Lujiazui | A peninsula formed by a bend in the Huangpu |
| Developed as | Shanghai's new financial district, from the early 1990s |
| Oriental Pearl Tower | Built 1991 to 1994, 468 metres with its antenna |
| Observation levels | Fifteen, several with glass floors |
| On the cruise | A photo pass of the tower, about five minutes |
A peninsula on a bend
Lujiazui sits where the Huangpu turns from flowing north to flowing east, which gives the east bank its peninsula shape.
Low-built until the 1980s
The area was relatively low-built, with houses, warehouses and factories, until it was allocated as a special investment zone in 1992 and the skyline began to rise.
Facing the old financial district
Lujiazui lies directly across the river from the Bund, the old financial and business district. The two banks make the contrast the cruise is built around.
The Oriental Pearl Tower
The tower is a futurist TV tower, built from 1991 to 1994, and was the tallest structure in China until 2007. Three large spheres are connected by pillars, and the red laminated glass of the spheres is part of its look.
Inside the tower
It has fifteen observation levels, a revolving restaurant and several levels with panoramic glass floors. On this cruise you see it from the water rather than from inside.
Other towers on the skyline
Landmarks in Lujiazui include Jin Mao Tower, the Shanghai World Financial Center and Shanghai Tower. The dragon cruise is timed for views of the Oriental Pearl Tower, the Shanghai World Financial Center and Jin Mao Tower.