Yuzhong

A gravity-defying square perched atop a building—street level on one side, but dropping an astonishing 22 storeys on the other, a true showcase of Chongqing’s wild topography.

Features works by both local and international artists. Mainly focused on contemporary art.

A renovation project partnered with Harvard University transformed this Republic-era banknote printing factory into an artsy space that has gained nationwide popularity. Located at a hilltop in Yuzhong District, TestBed 2 is not just another spot for enjoying the mountainous cityscape, but also a great stop for the best restaurants, bars, cafes and designer shops in the city. From here, a short hike up to Eling Park will take you to the highest viewpoint on the Yuzhong peninsula.

Contains exhibitions concerning the history of urban planning in Chongqing, as well as current and future plans for the city. Features a vast model of the city of Chongqing, with each building modelled in 3D.

Across the People's Square is Three Gorges Museum, well worth a visit for its exhibits on the Ba culture and the area of the three gorges downriver from Chongqing. Also noteworthy are a series of exhibits on life in Chongqing during the Qing dynasty, the early republic, and the World War II era.

A Buddhist temple dating from the Song Dynasty, which used to be known as Zhiping Temple (治平寺). During the Qing Dynasty, the temple was extensively renovated and it was during this time that it was renamed Luohan Temple. Luohan (罗汉) is the Chinese word for the Sanskrit term 'arhat', which in the Chinese Buddhist tradition basically means a person who has reached a certain stage along the path of enlightenment. Not surprisingly, the temple is filled with statues of arhats, though these are fairly new, as all the original statues were destroyed during the Cultural Revolution.

Eling Park is a historic hilltop park in central Chongqing. It gets its name from the shape of the terrain, which resembles a goose's head. It is known for its traditional gardens, walking paths and panoramic views of the Yangtze and Jialing rivers.

Pipa Mountain Park is a hillside park in central Chongqing and the highest point in Yuzhong District. It is known for its green paths, gardens and panoramic views of the city. The Red Star Pavilion at the top offers views of the Yuzhong Peninsula and the surrounding cityscape.

The museum is at the site of a former air raid shelter where hundreds (some say thousands) of people lost their lives on June 5th, 1941 due to a stampede that occurred during a Japanese bombing raid that day. After visiting the exhibition hall, you can take a guided tour of the tunnel where the tragedy took place.

A privately-run museum about the Flying Tigers - a group of volunteer American fighter pilots who fought the Japanese from 1941 to 1942 as part of the Chinese air force.

A museum about the history of China's minor political parties, three of which were founded in Chongqing. The museum is housed in a historic building known as the Teyuan (特园), where in March 1941, Zhang Lan, Liang Shuming, Huang Yanpei and several other individuals established the League of Chinese Democratic Political Groups, the forerunner of what later became known as the China Democratic League.

The Eighth Route army was a group army formed from the Red Army in 1937 after the Communists and the Nationalists agreed to stop fighting each other and form the Second United Front against Japan. It was nominally part of the national army led by Chiang Kai-Shek, but commanded by the Chinese Communist Party. The army had several offices throughout China to faciliate communications with the Nationalist authorites, including this one in Chongqing.

This was the site of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea from 1944 to 1945. The site is now a museum. Information is provided in Chinese and Korean only.

The US embassy operated at this site from 1942 to 1946. In 2019, the former embassy site was reopened to the public as a museum.

The house where the Chongqing negotiations between Mao Zedong and Jiang Jieshi (Chiang Kai-Shek) took place in 1945.

Not far from Red Rock Village is the former residence and office of General Joseph W. ("Vinegar Joe") Stilwell, who headed American operations in China during the Anti-Japanese War. Stilwell is an impressive person, not only for his leadership ability but also for his understanding of China and Chinese culture (he could write in Chinese with a brush). His former residence is a 1930s modernist house with great views overlooking the Yangtze river. The main level is set up as it was during Stilwell's tenure. The lower level is filled with photos and bilingual descriptions of the Chinese front during the Second World War.

On the banks of the Jialing River, this park houses many original and relocated historical buildings from when Chongqing was China's wartime capital. It includes old bank buildings, government offices and the residences of local warlords. Some military pillboxes are also preserved here. At the northern end of the park is the viewing point to Liziba station, which is inside a condominium.

Incorporates several historical sites and museums spread out along the Jialing River. The main visitor center is located at the Red Rock Village Revolution Memorial Hall (重庆红岩革命纪念馆) where a worthwhile exhibition explains the historical background.

This was Song Qingling's (Song Qing-ling's) residence from the period of the Second World War when Japan occupied much of China and Chongqing was the temporary capital. There were three Song (also spelled Soong) sisters. The eldest married China's richest man. Middle sister Qingling married Sun Yat Sen, the founder of modern China. She was herself an important political figure, especially after his death. The youngest married Chiang Kai Shek. A saying about them is "One loved money, one loved power, and one loved China". Qingling is the one who loved China. There is an interesting movie with an English soundtrack, and a book ("The Soong Dynasty") about the family. This house wedged in between tall, ugly buildings is a nice German design (the original owner was an engineer who studied in Germany) that is not unlike many of the pre-liberation colonial architecture that can be found here and there in and around Chongqing.

Zhou Enlai worked as a member of the Communist Party alongside Mao Zedong. Zhou was well-liked by the Chinese people and his death led to the Tiananmen Incident in the 1970s (not to be confused with the more famous incident in 1989). It is by the Jialing River north west of Jiefangbei, and is now a museum open to the public. It has been preserved as it was the day it was used.

Ba Manzi was an army general of the ancient Ba kingdom. He is best remembered for the manner of his death. History records that he hired some troops from the kingdom of Chu to put down a rebellion, promising to reward the Chu king with three Ba cities. However, when the Chu king came to collect his reward, Ba Manzi refused to cede the land and offered the king his severed head instead. A museum built around the tomb documents Ba Manzi’s life and times.

Built in 1759 and expanded in 1846, the Huguang Guild Hall is a complex of buildings that were formerly used as meeting centers for merchants from other parts of China.

Originally founded in 1938 as a branch of China’s National Library, the library was renamed the Roosevelt Library in 1946 in honor of US president Franklin D Roosevelt. In the 2020s, the library underwent major restoration work. It reopened to the public in 2026 as a branch of the Chongqing Library. The rooms have been restored to their original mid-20th century appearance and there is an exhibition on the history of the library.

Claimed to be the second longest single escalator in Asia, it saves travelers having to climb the steep steps, hundreds of metres up or down between the train station & Chang Jiang Yi Road. Curiously it is a paid service in both directions.

This cableway, which is operated by the Chongqing Passenger Cableway Company Ltd (重庆市客运索道有限公司) takes one across the Yangtze River and provides a great view of the city. The trip covers a distance of 1166 meters and takes about 5 minutes.

A suspended walkway clinging to the cliffside, this trail connects historical sites like the Kangjian Hall and the Bodhi Vajra Pagoda. It provides a quiet escape and unique angles to view Chongqing's mountainous urban landscape, away from the crowded tourist hotspots.

A 1-hour trip on the Yangtse (Chang Jiang) and Jialing rivers gives you a night view of Chongqing's modern skyline.

Each Saturday night (and on major holidays), Chongqing’s skies become a canvas for a spectacular drone show, with thousands of synchronized drones dancing above the confluence of the Yangtze and Jialing rivers. In June 2025, the show even set a Guinness World Record with 11,787 drones creating the largest aerial image ever seen. Pro tip: the best views are from a bar or restaurant at level 6 of the Riverside Park Mall or from Chaotianmen Square - arrive early to grab a good spot.