Jiefangbei / Bayi Road
解放碑
The city centre and commercial heart of Chongqing. Around the Monument to Victory in the War of Resistance Against Japan are skyscrapers, department stores, and the Bayi Road food street, the starting point for both sightseeing and eating.
Jiefangbei, the full name being 'People's Liberation Monument,' was completed in 1947 as the Monument to Victory in the War of Resistance Against Japan. It is 27.5 metres tall and is the only monument in China dedicated to the victory in the War of Resistance. Today, the skyscrapers surrounding it make it look small.
The pedestrian street centred on the monument is the busiest shopping district in Southwest China. It includes Chongqing Department Store, WFC Global Financial Center (its observation deck, Huixian Tower, costs about 50 yuan and gives views of the whole Yuzhong District), Times Square, and the Bayi Road food street. On the food street, Haoyoulai hot and sour noodles, Liao's Bangbang Chicken, Huashi Peas Noodles, and Shancheng Small Glutinous Rice Balls are famous queue-worthy shops.
Within walking distance you can combine: Jiaochangkou, an old Chongqing hotpot restaurant and the starting point of the Mountain City Steps; the Shibatai traditional quarter, a renovated old street where the film 'Passing By Your Whole World' was shot; the Baixiangju old building complex with its footbridges, a popular photo spot; Huguang Guildhall; Hongyadong, 10 minutes away; and Chaotianmen, 20 minutes away.
The clock tower chimes on the hour, and the midnight bell on New Year's Eve is Chongqing's biggest gathering. The shopping district is free to enter. Malls are open roughly 10:00–22:00, and the snack street operates late into the night.
Getting there: Metro Line 1 or 2 to Jiaochangkou Station, or Line 1 or 6 to Xiaoshizi Station, then walk 5–10 minutes. From Jiangbei Airport, take Line 3 to Niujiaotuo and transfer to Line 2.
This is a good base for accommodation, as most sights in Yuzhong District are within walking distance. Keep an eye on your belongings in crowded areas.
Opening hours
Open all day; shops 10:00–22:00
Nearby sights
- Baixiangju
- Nanbin Road
- Luohan Temple
- Huixianlou Observation Deck (Chongqing WFC)
- Huguang Guild Hall
- Yangtze River Cableway
- Hongyadong
- Daijiaxiang Cliff Walk