Chaotianmen / Raffles City Chongqing
朝天门广场·重庆来福士
At the tip of Yuzhong Peninsula, where the Yangtze and Jialing rivers meet, Raffles City, with eight towers and a “crystal corridor” 300 meters up in the sky, is Chongqing’s new landmark and also a river cruise pier.
Chaotianmen is the largest of the 17 gates of old Chongqing. It sits at the tip of Yuzhong Peninsula, where the Yangtze and Jialing rivers meet. Historically, it was the wharf where imperial edicts were received and the water gateway to Chongqing. From Chaotianmen Square, you can see the “Yuanyang hotpot” dividing line, where the clear Jialing River meets the muddy Yangtze. It is most visible in summer, during the high-water season. Across the river are Jiangbeizui Grand Theatre and Danzishi on the south bank.
Raffles City Chongqing, completed in 2019 and designed by Moshe Safdie, has eight sail-shaped towers. Four of them are linked about 250 meters up by a 300-meter-long crystal corridor, the Explorer Pod Observation Deck. Tickets cost about RMB 120–150 and offer 360-degree views of the two rivers and their four banks. Sunset slots sell out fastest. The mall below has a free observation terrace for distant views.
Chaotianmen Pier is the departure point for the two-river night cruise. Tickets cost about RMB 150–200 for one hour and take in Hongya Cave, Qiansimen Bridge, and the lights along Nanbin Road. The view from the boat is the easiest way to photograph Hongya Cave and Raffles City. Ships such as the Jiaoyun Pearl and the Chaotianmen offer different classes. Sailings between 7:30 and 9:00 pm are the most popular, so book ahead.
Nearby, you can walk to Hongya Cave (15 minutes), Huguang Guild Hall (a Qing-dynasty migrant guild hall, RMB 30), Baixiang Street, and Dongshuimen Bridge. Getting there: Chaotianmen Station on Metro Line 1 (opened in 2022) is right at the exit, or it is a 15-minute walk from Xiaoshizi Station. Have dinner at Raffles City before the cruise, and note that it can be windy by the river.
Opening hours
Square open all day; Raffles City observation deck 10:00–22:00; Two Rivers cruises 19:00–22:00, multiple departures
Nearby sights
- Two Rivers Night Cruise
- Ciyun Temple
- Jiangbeizui & Chongqing Grand Theatre
- Huguang Guild Hall
- Luohan Temple
- Baixiangju
- Hongyadong
- Yangtze River Cableway