Waibaidu Bridge

Overview

Waibaidu Bridge is a steel truss garden bridge spanning Suzhou Creek at its confluence with the Huangpu River. Built in 1907, it is one of the few surviving examples of an early-20th-century camelback truss bridge and a designated Shanghai Cultural Heritage site.

Highlights

• Heritage Engineering: One of the last remaining all-steel bridges of its type in China.
• Night Lighting: LED illumination turns the bridge into a glowing centerpiece of the Bund skyline.
• Film Location: Featured in countless Chinese films and TV series set in old Shanghai.

History

The original wooden toll bridge was built in 1856 by British businessman Wills. The current steel bridge, designed by British engineers at Howarth Erskine, replaced it in 1907 and was temporarily removed for restoration in 2008.

Visitor Tips

• Photography: Best shot from the Bund promenade looking north at night.
• Combine: Walk across as part of a Bund-to-Broadway-Mansions stroll.
• Duration: 15–20 minutes.