A glance at the Italian Style Area in Tianjin. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Journalists and influencers from around China recently toured Tianjin's iconic landmarks for four days as part of the "New Trends in Old Quarters" campaign. The tour highlighted the city's unique fusion of history and modernity and its appeal as a cultural and commercial destination.

The tour began at Tianjin's Cao Yu Theatre, spotlighting the revitalization of historic districts in the Tianjin Italian Style Area. The area is the birthplace of Cao Yu (1910-96), who is known as the father of modern Chinese drama. Located along the scenic Haihe River in Hebei district, it is the only fully preserved Italian architectural complex in Asia.

An illustration of a bus stop on the driverless road in the Hebei district. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

With more than 100 historic European buildings showcasing Mediterranean design, the area exudes a sense of grandeur and timeless elegance shaped by more than a century of history.

While in Hebei district, the tour also previewed a novel project that is creating a vehicle-road collaboration demonstration route in a complex urban environment. Integrating advanced technology with the Huawei Industrial Park, the project covers a 3.1-kilometer stretch encompassing tourist attractions, old residential areas, newly built neighborhoods, riverside roads and intricate traffic conditions.

A street performance entertains on Gold Street in Heping district, Tianjin. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The tour then visited Heping district's Gold Street, a cross-shaped pedestrian district in the heart of Tianjin that is often home to street performances. Gold Street features the Giant Copper Coin, an installation measuring six meters in diameter. The words "Heping Jubao", or "Peace and Prosperity", are inscribed on the coin. A ring around the coin showcases more than 230 replicas of ancient Chinese coins and knife and spade-shaped currency.

Kailuan Mining Bureau has been transformed into the Tianjin Financial Exhibition Center in Tianjin. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Also in Heping, the tour stopped by the former Kailuan Mining Bureau Building. Constructed between 1919 and 1921, the building is an icon in China's industrial and financial history. The Greek Revival-style structure is the original office of Kailuan Mining Bureau, one of China's earliest government-supervised and commercially operated national enterprises.

A street performance entertains on the Giant Copper Coin, a scenic spot in Heping district, Tianjin. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

In 2023, the district transformed the historic site into the Tianjin Financial Exhibition Center, integrating financial history with cultural and tourism resources. The center now serves as a hub for showcasing financial heritage and providing services to financial institutions, marking a new chapter in the building's development.

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