Brief introduction of Tianfu Square
Tianfu Square is favorably located in the heart of Chengdu, and the start point of Renmin East Road, Renmin West Road, Renmin South Road and Renmin Middle Road. It seems that the entire city was built around the square (Chengdu city is in a loop layout). Covering an area of 88,368 sq m, it is the largest city square in Southwest China. Tianfu Square is regarded to have the similar function and status to the Tian’anmen Square in Beijing.
Design and Layout
The site of Tianfu Square was nearby the imperial palace of ancient Chengdu. It was redesigned and reconstructed in the new era, but still using many traditional cultural and artistic elements.
Tianfu Square in Chengdu is in the shape of oval, and divided into two parts by an S-shaped line in the middle, thus making it a big Taichi motif. Two elaborately-designed statues named Twin Fish Eye Dragon Rising Statues located separately in the east and west are the fish eyes on the taichi motif. The west statue is a musical fountain, 10.8 meters high and entwined by a 58-meter-long dragon symbolizing Yangtze River. While the east statue on the sunken square is a several-layer waterfall, 17.2 meters high and entwined by a 40-meter-long dragon symbolizing Yellow River. The sunken square, surrounded by many stores and restaurants are the ideal place to shop and have a rest. Golden Sun Bird Statue stands In the middle of Tianfu Square, with a diameter of 15 meters, and will be illuminated at night by its 100 colorful neon lights. The Golden Sun Bird pattern is the totem and an important symbol of ancient Shu Kingdom. Archaeologists first found the pattern as a ring-shaped piece of foil at the Jinsha Ruins in Chengdu. Around Tianfu Square stand 12 cultural totem pillars, which are also embedded with dark fridges of Golden Sun Bird pattern.
Attractions nearby Tianfu Square
Sichuan Museum of Science and Technology
North of Tianfu Square, the Sichuan Science and Technology Museum in Chengdu has 3 themed exhibitions and over 20 halls including Aerospace Exhibition Hall, Machinery Exhibition Hall, Visual World, Robot Exhibition Hall, etc.
Chengdu Museum
West of the Square and close to Sichuan Provincial Library, Chegndu museum was built in 1958, and renovated in 2016. It has a collection of about 20,000 valuable cultural relics tracing back to the Stone Age, including bronze ware, jade, pottery, porcelain, stone carving, porcelain, calligraphy and painting, brick painting and Ming & Qing furniture.
Sichuan Art Museum
Northwest of Tianfu Square, the museum collects many kinds of art works including paintings, calligraphies and photography works.
Royal Mosque (Huangcheng Mosque)
Around 320m west of Tianfu Square, the mosque is close to an historical royal palace, hence the name. Royal Mosque is one of the most important mosques in China and the biggest mosque in Chengdu. It blends both the Arabic architectural style and Ming, Qing Dynasty’s architectural style and still holds Muslim activities.
Chengdu Renmin Park
Around 510m west of Tianfu Square, Renmin Park was initially built in 1911, and now has become one of the best places to drink tea in Chengdu. Find yourself a lovely tea house and relax with tea, snacks, books, mahjong, chess or chatting with a friend.
Kuanzhai Ancient Alleys
Around 1.4km northwest of Tianfu Square, there are three parallel ancient streets of Qing Dynasty, named Wide Alley, Narrow Alley and Jing Alley. Today, the alleys are must-see sights in Chengdu, featuring boutique café, tea house, stylish bars, popular Sichuan cuisine restaurants, Sichuan Opera Theater, and profound cultural atmosphere.
Chunxi Road Pedestrian Street
Around 1.6km east of Tianfu Square, Chunxi Road is the most popular shopping street in Chengdu, full of fashion stores, shopping malls, time-honored restaurants, tea houses, traditional snack shops, etc. Besides, there are also various kinds of hotels near Chuanxi Road and Tianfu Square.
Wenshu Monastery
Around 2.5km north of Tianfu Square, the monastery was established during the Sui Dynasty. It is a Buddhist sacred land, featuring ancient Buddhist relics, Buddha statues and a Chinese classical garden.
Jinli Old Street & Wuhou Temple
Around 2.7km southwest of Tianfu Square, JInli is part of Wuhou Temple Museum. It is one of the oldest commercial streets in Chengdu dating back to Qin Dynasty. Wuhou Temple was built in 223. It was the most important Warring Period museum and China’s only temple to worship both the emperor and his ministers (Liubei, Zhuge Liang and the other heros of Shu Kingdom).
Tianfu Square Transportation
By bus: Take Bus No.1, 16, 26, 43, 45, 47, 61, 62, 104, 118 or airport shuttle bus line 2.
By metro: Tianfu Square is connected with metro line 1 and line 2. The Tianfu Square Station has ten exits. The Exit A, B and D lead to the east sunken square.