Chongqing Great Hall of People

Great Hall of People was built in June 1951 and finished in April 1954 with a total height of 65 meters, with five layers in all, where can accommodate the audience of 4206 people. The Great Hall used the architectural features of the Ming and Qing dynasties, its main characteristic is to use traditional way of central axis symmetry, accompanied with double eaves of a colonnade type, and the facade is well-proportion. These magnificent and solemn buildings, though not entirely practical, but it gives a person a kind of spiritual cohesion and deterrence, is representative of the highest rank in the building structure of exquisite oriental building.

Building History

Building the Great Hall experienced a very difficult process. Builders used the "method of pilling" with more than 35000, board step-stone phyllostachys pubescens under the situation of lack of large high lift heavy equipment.

Characteristics

• Metro: Take Line 10 to Dahuitang Station, Exit 1 for direct access; or take Line 2 to Zengjiayan Station, Exit 3, then walk.
• Bus: Multiple routes, including 145, 152, and 181, stop at Dahuitang (Great Hall) Station.
   

Nearby Attractions & Suggested Itinerary

Nearby attractions: Chongqing China Three Gorges Museum, Zhongshan Fourth Road (Zhou Gongguan, Guiyuan), Crown Escalator (Two Road Mouth), Chongqing Soong Ching-ling Former Residence Exhibition Hall, Liziba Monorail-Through-Building, E’ling Second Factory (E’ling Erchang), E’ling Park.

Recommended route:
Chongqing Great Hall of People → walk across to the Chongqing China Three Gorges Museum → continue on foot to the Ma’anshan traditional style area (for a fresh photo perspective of the Great Hall) → walk to Zhongshan Fourth Road to visit Zhou Gongguan and Guiyuan → take Metro Line 2 to Liziba for the famous monorail-through-building photo op → take a bus to E’ling Second Factory / E’ling Park to end the day with sunset/night views.

Chongqing China Three Gorges Museum

• Address: Renmin Road, Yuzhong District (人民路236号)
• How to get there: A 3-minute walk from the Great Hall.

The museum, together with People Square and the Great Hall, forms a trio of the city’s landmark cultural sites. 

Zhongshan 4th Road (Zhou Gongguan / Guiyuan etc.)

• How to get there: About a 10-minute walk from the Great Hall.
• Zhou Gongguan (周公馆) — Open daily 09:00–19:00 (last admission 18:30).
• Guiyuan (桂园) — Open daily 09:00–17:00 (last admission 16:30).

Zhongshan 4th Road is widely regarded as one of Chongqing’s most beautiful streets. Besides the historic mansions, two rows of dense banyan trees make this stretch especially pleasant in summer. Plenty of small cafés, bookshops and restaurants line the road—perfect for a relaxed break.

Crown (Two-Road-Mouth) Escalator — 皇冠大扶梯

• Route: From the Great Hall bus stop take bus 421 or 829 to Lianglukou (两路口) station.
• Operating hours: 06:45–22:00.
• Fare: RMB 2 per ride.

The Crown Escalator is 112 meters long and runs about 2 minutes 30 seconds end to end. It’s a distinctive piece of Chongqing’s hillside transport and the nearby old market offers a glimpse of traditional Chongqing life.

Liziba Monorail (Monorail Through a Building) — 李子坝单轨穿楼
Route: Take Metro Line 2 to Liziba Station.

A must-see urban spectacle: the monorail passes directly through a residential building. You can descend to the viewing platform for a close look and great photos.

E’ling Second Factory (鹅岭二厂)

• How to get there: From the Great Hall, take bus 829 to E’ling Second Factory (鹅岭二厂) stop.

Located at No.1 E’ling Zheng Street (鹅岭正街1号), this former printing factory has been transformed into a creative cultural park. With open courtyards and converted old factory buildings, it’s an ideal spot for photography and exploring Chongqing’s industrial-heritage reuse.

E’ling Park (鹅岭公园)

• Address & hours: Yuzhong District, E’ling Zheng Street 176 (渝中区鹅岭正街176号); open 07:00–22:00.
• How to get there: From the Great Hall, take bus 829 to the E’ling Park stop.

Perched at the highest point of the Yuzhong Peninsula, E’ling Park is one of Chongqing’s earliest private gardens. The park contains historic embassy sites (including the former Australian and Turkish embassy residences) and dates back to the early wartime period when the Nationalist government moved to Chongqing. The park is a superb place for sunset or nighttime city views.