Visit the old train station, unlock the time capsule to find memories of Tanggu

In 2009, with the establishment of the Tianjin Binhai New Area, Tanggu District was abolished, and the name 'Tanggu' disappeared from the map of China. Territories can be redrawn, but history cannot be rewritten. To browse the sealed memories of old Tanggu, one only needs to unlock the time capsule. In the core area of the Binhai New Area, among a group of newly erected skyscrapers, a row of single-story buildings with white walls and red roofs looks small and weathered, exuding a strong sense of the past from afar. Approaching the building, there is a stele in front with the inscription: Former Site of Tanggu Train Station. This is the original Tanggu South Station, a landmark of the former Tanggu District, and also a key to unlocking the time capsule. 🔸The old Tanggu station is an old train station, as well as a terminal station. In 1879, Li Hongzhang initiated the construction of China's first railway, the Tangxu Railway, which was extended to Tianjin in 1888, becoming the Jinghu Railway, and the old Tanggu station was built accordingly. With a station age of 136 years, it is now one of the earliest and most completely preserved train stations in the country. 🔸The seemingly stagnant train station has actually traversed a century of time, becoming a witness to many historical events in Tianjin, such as the capture of the Dagukou Forts by the Eight-Nation Alliance and the Japanese occupation of Tanggu, both of which seized this train station. 🔸The mottled exterior walls of the station, the dusty glass windows, the rusty tracks, and the sign standing in the waiting hall, with its traditional Chinese characters still written from right to left as in the last century. This simple European-style building is already covered with traces of the passage of time. 📍Address and Transportation: No. 86 Xinhua Road, Binhai New Area, Tianjin City, navigate to 'Tanggu South Station', the surrounding area is very open and easy to park. 🌟Travel Tips: 1. It's quite niche with hardly any visitors, the train station and the railway behind it are open to the public, but the inside of the station is closed. 2. The train station is located on the side of the Haihe River, with unlimited scenery on both banks. Nearby attractions include Haihe Bund Park, the former site of the signing of the Taku Tientsin Agreement, and the Oriental Princess Cruise Ship, all of which can be arranged for a visit together.