Stilt Houses
A cliff of golden-lit stilt houses tumbling eleven storeys down to the river — Spirited Away made real the moment the lanterns switch on.
Hongyadong After Dark · Chongqing
The Liberation Skyline · Jiefangbei
Chongqing4.52 hr12k saved
A 1940s victory monument now dwarfed by a circle of neon skyscrapers — the dizzying, multi-level downtown of the vertical city.
It sits in Chongqing, and rewards going slowly rather than ticking it off. Best evening / after dark when the skyline lights up.
Good to know
- Best time — Evening / after dark when the skyline lights up
- Public square open 24h; shops/restaurants have standard daytime hours.
Insider tip — The 'sinking' underground Hongyadong shopping mall directly below is the most dramatic piece of Chongqing's mountain-hugging urbanism — take the escalators down.
Photo: Baycrest · CC BY-SA 2.5
More in Chongqing
Monorail
A monorail that threads clean through the middle of a 19-storey apartment block — only in the mountain city. Watch from the platform across the street.
The Train Through the Building · Liziba · Chongqing
Cableway
A retro cable car swinging high over the brown Yangtze between the two banks — the old commuter line that became the city's best ride.
Crossing the Yangtze · River Cableway · Chongqing
Ancient Town
A surviving Ming-Qing river port of sloping lanes, teahouses and twist-fried mahua — the old Chongqing the towers grew around.
Porcelain Port · Ciqikou Old Town · Chongqing