Xinghai Square
星海广场
A city square built on reclaimed land, said to be the largest urban square in Asia, with a centenary sculpture, Chinese ceremonial columns, and open lawns facing the Yellow Sea. Flying kites and watching the sunset here is a daily ritual for Dalian residents.
Xinghai Square is located on the southern seaside of Shahekou District. It was built on reclaimed land in 1997 to mark the return of Hong Kong to China. It covers about 1.76 million square metres and is one of the largest urban squares in the world. At the centre is a circular plaza made of white marble Chinese ceremonial columns and 999 star-shaped floor tiles. Stretching south toward the sea is the 'Centennial Sculpture,' a giant open book with 1,000 pairs of footprints of Dalian citizens carved into it, symbolising the city's centenary. Around the square are a musical fountain, the Xinghai Bay yacht marina, the Shell Museum (admission about 60 yuan), Xinghai Park, a seawater beach, and the Xinghai Bay Sea Bridge, which opened in 2015. Watching the sea bridge and the sunset over the water from the square is a classic view in the evening. Travel tips: arrive about an hour before sunset to fly kites on the lawn (kites can be rented on site) or rent a tandem bicycle to ride around the square. After sunset, walk to the seaside to see the sea bridge lit up. In summer, the square hosts musical fountain shows in the evening. You can also start from here and walk east along Binhai Road. Admission is free. Nearby: on the west side of Xinghai Square, Heishijiao beach offers rocks and sea-eroded landforms, and on the north side are the Xinghai Convention Center and the Dalian Natural History Museum. Getting there: from Xinghai Square Station on Metro Line 1, it is about a 10-minute walk. Several bus routes serve Xinghai Square, and from Dalian Railway Station, a taxi takes about 20 minutes. Note: the square is huge and has little shade, so it gets very hot at midday in summer. The seaside is windy, so dress warmly. On public holidays and during the Beer Festival, crowds are dense and parking is difficult.
Opening hours
All day
Nearby sights
- Dalian Modern Museum
- Dalian Shell Museum
- Xinghai Bay Bridge
- Sun Asia Ocean World
- Xinghai Park
- Lianhuashan Observation Deck
- Dalian Natural History Museum
- Dalian Forest Zoo