Gulangyu Island: Tiny Beauty with Enormously Rich Hystory

#islands Gulangyu Island Gulanyu Xiamen — GuLang Yu Dao island Xiamen 鼓浪屿 It is also Yuanshazhou Island, which means Round shallow water. It is also Wulongyu Island, which means the island of 5 dragons. The tiny Gulanyu Island, located on the southwestern side of Xiamen, is one of the most popular attractions in the city. It is also called the "Island of Music", there is a museum of ancient pianos and a "Garden above the sea" because of the flowers in the Shuzhuang Garden. Another feature of Gulanyu is its narrow streets with European colonial mansions. About 20 thousand residents live permanently on the island. Only bicycles and electric bikes are allowed to travel around the island. In this place, you can take a good break from the hustle and bustle of Xiamen: a small island with sandy beaches and rocky outgrowths, a town with narrow streets free of cars, with museums, parks, cafes, restaurants — and piano music! The roads are well maintained, and strict environmental control is carried out. History The local beauty was appreciated by the first British consul in Xiamen in 1844: he was the first to build a villa here. At that time, arable land was still being cultivated on Gulangyu. In the next 60-80 years, a settlement gradually emerged, marked by European architectural styles, which still stands today, and not only villas were built here, but also schools, churches and shopping establishments. Japanese people also settled here — and well-to-do Chinese, because Gulangyu was not a ghetto for foreigners. Unlike Tianjin, there were no separate zones of influence of various foreign powers. Inspection 🗓️It will take a good half day to see the most important things and breathe in the local atmosphere a little. At the same time, you can use electric cars that travel along a 6-kilometer route around the island. But most of the way should be done on foot. However, Gulangyu is a place where you can stay longer. You can hardly find a more cozy place than here.