Tom Spender

This slideshow is long overdue – the pictures are from last December. I knew Qingdao in Shandong Province (southeast of Beijing) had been controlled by the Germans for a short period around the turn of the 20th century, but I really didn’t expect there to be so much European-style building there, not only intact but also being refurbished. Perhaps this may have to do with Qingdao’s hilly topography – much of the apparently German-era villas and so on are on pretty steep slopes that may not be ideal for new skyscrapers, which instead are concentrated elsewhere.

The highlight is the St Michael’s Cathedral, which is pretty magnificent and stands atop a small hill. But the nearby streets around Longshan Lu are really pleasant to stroll in and have lovely vibe. One local said the villas there are really popular as summer residences for big cheeses from further inland.

It was also interesting to see how some of the modern buildings in Qingdao riffed off this Germanic style, with various office buildings sporting sloped roofs and turrets much like churches.

My favourite building was probably some kind of commercial building on Hunan Lu (I think) which had a bright red staircase inside that really reminded me of Germany.