Areas
Xujiahui and the West Bund
徐家汇 / 西岸
The southwest: St Ignatius Cathedral at Xujiahui, Longhua Temple and its pagoda, and the art museums along the Xuhui riverfront.
Best forart museumstemples and churches
This area takes in two places in Xuhui District (徐汇区, Xúhuì Qū) that are a short ride apart: the crossroads of Xujiahui (徐家汇, Xújiāhuì) and the Huangpu riverfront to the south and east, known as the West Bund.
Xujiahui and Longhua
Xujiahui’s best-known building is St Ignatius Cathedral, the Gothic Revival cathedral built by the Jesuits. South of it is Longhua Temple, the city’s largest old temple complex, beside a seven-storey brick-and-wood pagoda.
The West Bund
Along the river, old industrial sites have been turned into museums. The Long Museum West Bund is built around a concrete coal-unloading bridge; the glass West Bund Museum is further along the river. Check opening days on each museum page before you go.
A day here can be churches and temples in the morning and art by the river in the afternoon.
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Places to see
Museum· 2014
Long Museum West Bund
龙美术馆西岸馆Lóng Měishùguǎn Xī'àn Guǎn
A private art museum on the Xuhui waterfront, built around a 1950s coal-unloading bridge with a row of concrete vault-umbrella columns; opened 2014.
Temple· c. 977
Longhua Temple and Pagoda
龙华寺 / 龙华塔Lónghuá Sì / Lónghuá Tǎ
Shanghai's largest ancient temple complex, laid out as a Song-style Chan monastery beside a seven-storey brick-and-wood pagoda dated to 977.
Church· 1906–1910
St Ignatius Cathedral, Xujiahui
徐家汇天主堂Xújiāhuì Tiānzhǔtáng
The Jesuit-built Gothic Revival cathedral of Shanghai, finished in 1910 for 2,500 worshippers; stripped in 1966, restored in 1979-82 and again in 2015-17.
Museum· 2019
West Bund Museum
西岸美术馆Xī'àn Měishùguǎn
David Chipperfield's glass-clad museum on the Xuhui riverfront, opened 2019 and the Shanghai home of a Centre Pompidou partnership.
Shopping district
Xujiahui Shopping District
徐家汇商圈Xújiāhuì Shāngquān
A retail district around Xujiahui metro station, where 1990s malls stand on land once held by a Jesuit mission and its estates.
Also nearby
Shopping district
Xuhui Riverside (West Bund)
徐汇滨江商业中心Xúhuì Bīnjiāng Shāngyè Zhōngxīn
Where to stay
Staying in Xujiahui and the West Bund
Why stay here
- +Xujiahui station is an interchange for Lines 1, 9 and 11.
- +The West Bund museums are a quieter alternative to the crowds of the centre.
- +Shopping malls and restaurants around Xujiahui.
Downsides
- −A metro ride from the Bund and the old city.
- −Xujiahui and the riverfront are some way apart; allow a taxi or metro ride between them.
Price level¥¥
Getting to and from
| Pudong Airport | 77 minLines 9 and 2 from Xujiahui(estimate) |
|---|---|
| Hongqiao Airport | 26 minLines 11 and 10 from Xujiahui(estimate) |
| Hongqiao Railway Station | 28 minLines 11 and 10 from Xujiahui(estimate) |
| Shanghai Railway Station | 17 minLine 1 from Xujiahui(estimate) |
Where to stay
Hotel recommendations for this area are being checked.
Getting here
Metro linesLine 1Line 7Line 9Line 11Line 12