Gedalou

Located at 283-295 Hebei Road, Heping District, Tianjin, at the intersection of Hebei Road and Munan Road, this row of four-story brick-and-wood houses boasts a distinct Italian style. It is a striking feature of Munan Road. Like a porcelain house, its walls are covered in a variety of porcelain objects arranged in various shapes. Built in 1937 and designed by Italian architect Paola, it originally belonged to the British-owned Xiannong Company but was later sold. It is now a museum, but is rarely open to the public.

Many people mistakenly think this is the Porcelain House, but in fact it has the same owner as the Porcelain House.

Gedalou, the former residence of Zhang Xueliang, is closed to the public [frown]. It may have been open to the public before, which is a pity.

It's on the Fifth Avenue. I took a horse-drawn carriage there, had lunch at Guiyuan Restaurant, and then walked here specifically to see it. It's okay, but you can't get in.

I didn't go inside the Fifth Avenue, but it looked OK from inside and outside.

The place where Boss Zhang made his fortune, the prototype of the porcelain building, is said to have cost 800 yuan for a meal in the 1980s.

It seems to be an ordinary resident's home. The exterior is very strange and the German Shepherd inside is very handsome.

The exterior is decorated with porcelain, and there are restaurants and the Huayun Museum inside. Don't miss it when you go to Wudadao.

There are many buildings in the Fifth Avenue. We found a private tour guide who drove around slowly in a private car. The explanation was very detailed and we could stop at any time to take pictures.

Further along, on Hebei Road, you'll find a magnificent three-story building. Its exterior walls, windowsills, and balconies are covered in porcelain fragments. Above the main entrance, a sign reads "Porcelain House Antique Trading Center," attracting countless tourists to take photos. So this is Tianjin's famous Porcelain House, located on Chifeng Road. A guide on the roadside explained that this place is called Gedalou, and shares the same style and owner as the Chifeng Road Porcelain House, though the latter is larger and more beautiful.

Gedalou is a classic Italian-style building on Wudadao. It was the residence of the famous Peking Opera performer Ma Lianliang in Tianjin.

Unfortunately, it is not open to the public now, so we can only watch from the outside.

The Five Avenues Historical and Cultural District consists of five streets: Changde, Chongqing, Dali, Munan and Machang

Gedalou is located on Fifth Avenue. It looks similar to a porcelain house, but it is under renovation and is not open to the public.

This is an Italian-style building on Fifth Avenue, similar to the Porcelain House, but not as beautiful as the Porcelain House and is not open to the public.

I don’t know what to write, and you still ask me to write...

It was funded by British businessmen and built by Italians. It is full of bumps and lumps. Although it is not as famous as the famous Porcelain House in Tianjin, it is still quite noisy.

On the Fifth Avenue, I took two photos while passing by.

Tickets: Unknown

Opening hours: Currently under renovation, not open to the public yet, the specific opening hours are unknown

Address: No. 283-295 Hebei Road, Heping District, Tianjin

How to get there: Gedalou is located in Wudadao. You will see it when you are strolling around.

Gedalou is an unexpected tourist attraction. I found it while walking along the Fifth Avenue. Its unique appearance is very eye-catching.

When we visited, the Gedalou was closed to the public. People nearby said it had been under renovation for a long time, so we didn't know when it would be reopened. Looking through the crack in the door, we could see other artworks besides ceramics.

It's located on Wudadao, at the intersection of Munan Road and Hebei Road. There are many people taking photos at the entrance, and Chenggui Western Restaurant is next door!

A very special building in the Wudadao Scenic Area.

Located at the intersection of Hebei Road and Munan Road on Tianjin's Wudadao, and bordering Machang Road to the south, this building is a prominent fixture on Wudadao. Designed by Italian architect Paola Paoladi in 1937, it was originally built by the British-owned Xiannong Company and later sold. At the end of the last century, the northern corner was renovated into a restaurant. The owner, Zhang Lianzhi, once again filled the interior and exterior with antiques, adding to the embellishments. Inside, people ate amidst the antiques, promoting the restaurant as a "food museum." While similar in concept to the Porcelain House, I personally think it has several shortcomings. When I visited, the interior was closed, so I could only view it from the outside. Many visitors mistake this for the Porcelain House. It's worth noting that this is actually the Geda Building, located at 72 Chifeng Road. Please be careful to distinguish between the two to avoid spoiling your visit.

Last time I came to Tianjin, I saw the very interesting Porcelain House. This time I came to see the Gedalou. The interior decoration is not open to the public for the time being, so I could only take some photos from the outside.

The outer wall of Geda Building looks like raised bumps, and various decorative porcelains, pipes, etc. are attached to the wall. The interior cannot be visited.

The bricks on the Geda Building were originally produced by a kiln factory in Longtan, Xiqing District, Tianjin in the early 20th century.

At the time, Paul Bonetti, who worked at the Italian Municipal Council's Engineering Department and designed the pelota court (now the Marco Polo Club), discovered that these bricks took a long time to burn and were even harder than refractory steel bricks, suggesting they would be a sturdy building. So, he bought all the bricks at a very low price, designed them himself, and built the "Geda Building." He deliberately laid the bumps on the walls, creating a pattern that accentuated the unsightly bumps. After its completion, the Geda Building became a household name, gaining widespread fame. He eventually sold them at a high price, making a killing.

The lumpy bricks on the Geda Building were originally produced by a kiln in Longtan, Xiqing, Tianjin, in the early 20th century. The kiln primarily produced clay bricks and large-tube tiles. The clay bricks included both blue and red bricks, and the Datong tiles had both base and cover tiles. At the time, the kiln failed to properly control the temperature when firing the bricks, overfiring them. This caused the bricks to melt and deform on the side facing the fire, resulting in scrappy, unsalable lumpy bricks. At the time, Paul Bonetti, who worked at the Italian Municipal Council's Engineering Department and designed the ping-pong court (now the Marco Polo Club), discovered that these bricks took a long time to fire and were stronger than refractory steel bricks, suggesting they would be a sturdy building. He purchased all the bricks at a very low price, designed them, and built the "lumpy building" himself. He deliberately placed the lumps on the walls, creating a pattern that accentuated the unsightly appearance. After the Geda Building was completed, it became famous far and wide, and he sold them at a high price, making a huge profit.

Gedalou and Porcelain House have the same owner and are similar in style. They are sister buildings, but Gedalou is not as famous as Porcelain House.

It used to be a hotel, but it is currently under renovation and you can't enter.

It was closed when I went there. It's a building similar to a porcelain house.

The wind in Gedalou is really strong today.

This is a more distinctive attraction on the Fifth Avenue

The exhibition is not open recently.



The bumps are because the house was built with some burnt bricks.

There are also many porcelain decorations outside, a bit like a porcelain house

"Gedalou," also known as the "Huayun Museum," was originally a "museum for eating," but no longer serves food. It displays over 3,000 valuable cultural relics from over 100 categories. The collection includes the most representative bronzes, porcelains, wood carvings, stone carvings, and white marble from the Northern Qi, Northern Wei, Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, spanning the Western Zhou to the Qing dynasty.



I personally prefer Gedalou to Porcelain House.

The most famous building on Munan Road is undoubtedly the Gedalou, a three-and-a-half-story brick-and-wood structure with eight linked doors. The "geda" in Gedalou refers to the rough, ridged texture of the building's exterior brickwork. Porcelain tiles are affixed around each ridge, leading many to mistake it for a porcelain house.

Similar to the famous Porcelain House, but with its own unique features, it is covered with protruding bricks, a veritable "lump building"

The name "Gedalou" is very descriptive, as the whole house is bumpy. All the houses are covered with various stone statues, porcelain tiles and other pieces.

After walking a short distance along Dali Road and heading south along Hebei Road, you will find the famous Gedalou at the intersection of Hebei Road and Munan Road. Built in 1937, Gedalou was originally an apartment of the British Hua Nong Company and later became the former residence of Peking Opera artist Ma Lianliang in Tianjin.

The Geda Building has now been transformed into a museum similar to the Porcelain House. It seemed that it was not yet open when I went there. Looking at the piles of porcelain pieces and porcelain, I felt that the beautiful building was destroyed, and the precious cultural relics were also destroyed. There were even many stone sculptures on the street outside the courtyard wall. It was really heartbreaking! They were left to live in the open air and exposed to the wind and sun!

The original owner of both the Geda Building and the Porcelain House was the same person, and they were incredibly kind, adorning the houses to such a splendid state. Oh, and by the way, in Tianjin, any adult woman, regardless of age, calls you "jiejie" (sounds like "jiejie"). Of course, the Porcelain House is even more impressive: the sewers are made of porcelain cat pillows, there's red porcelain for sacrificial offerings, and there's even a multicolored plate on the roof—it's incredibly expensive. Anyway, the first thing I noticed was: awesome. The price of admission is absolutely worth it. The Young Marshal's Mansion is also worth the price of admission; the guided tours are free at regular intervals, which is really nice. But I also have to admit that listening to the guided tours is a must, otherwise you'll just be blindly observing and won't remember anything.

I thought it was a porcelain house, and it had a lot of content.

The sister of the Porcelain House, but it seems to be less famous than the Porcelain House and does not look as attractive as the Porcelain House.

Porcelain House ¥35, student ticket ¥20, one on Chifeng Road, one on Wudadao

Gedalou is located on Machang Road. Some people confuse it with the Porcelain House on Chifeng Road. It is also one of the must-see attractions in Tianjin. You can stop by when you come to Wudadao.

"Gedalou" - an edible museum (now Yueweixian Restaurant)



Built in 1937, the Gedalou, located at the corner of Wellington Road and Hong Kong Road in the then British Concession of Tianjin (now the corner of Hebei Road and Munan Road in Heping District, No. 285-293 Hebei Road), is a historic building in Tianjin. Originally an apartment for the British company Huanong, it later became the Tianjin residence of Peking Opera artist Ma Lianliang.



The Gedalou was designed by Italian architect Paolo Bonetti. It is a three-and-a-half-story, brick-and-wood structure with eight doors. The first floor is semi-basement, the second floor houses the arched main entrance, accessed by a high staircase, the third floor houses a balcony, and the fourth floor features a row of shutters with green awnings above. Gedalou is a type of adjacent lane residence, influenced by Western townhouse architecture. The residence is composed of connected units, resulting in a compact layout and excellent room orientation, light, and ventilation. The exterior facade is a plain wall paved with glazed bricks and inlaid with lumpy bricks, creating a rough, textured appearance. Above the round lintels are arched, semi-recessed, cantilevered L-shaped balconies with string-of-pearl railings and water-patterned window decorations. It is a Western-style apartment building with a strong Italian flair.

Located on Hebei Road in Heping District, Tianjin, this classic building on Fifth Avenue, nicknamed the "Gedalou," is distinctive for its exterior, covered in porcelain tiles. The "Geda" in "Gedalou" refers to the small bumps on the bricks of the building's facade. Around these bumps, the owner incorporated numerous porcelain tiles from the Ming and Qing dynasties into the building, incorporating a touch of traditional Chinese culture and ancient porcelain into the building, making it a perfect place for photo ops. It's a Fifth Avenue landmark, corresponding to the Porcelain House. It's now a museum, but it wasn't open when I visited, which was a shame.



I saw that many of the displayed porcelain pieces were stuck to the outside of the house, and some of the cultural relics were damaged by being left outside.

It's under renovation now, so you can't go in. It looks beautiful from the outside.

Gedalou, located near Tianjin Foreign Studies University, is one of the most distinctive buildings in the Wudadao scenic area. While the interior was under renovation when I visited, the owner's artistic flair is evident from the exterior. From a distance, it resembles a building in Barcelona, Spain, but up close, you'll notice it's made of Chinese porcelain and shares the same owner as the Porcelain House. It's well worth a visit.

Inside the Wudadao area, there's a building that looks a lot like the Porcelain House, nicknamed the "Gedalou." I saw it while cycling and thought I'd traveled through time... While it's not as famous as the Porcelain House, it's still quite impressive to pass by! If you're visiting Wudadao, check out the Gedalou!

Because the inside was under renovation, I didn't go in to visit, but the outside was quite cool.

【Gedalou】

The porcelain house and the porcelain house were made by the same person, but I think this one is more beautiful.

It is not open to the public at the moment. The style is somewhat similar to the Porcelain House. I went to Wuda Road and passed by!

Located at 283-285 Hebei Road, at the intersection of Hebei Road and Munan Road, the Geda Building was built in 1937 and designed by Italian architect Paola Paola. The building's exposed glazed brick walls are dotted with dotted bricks. Because the exterior walls are constructed with fired bricks, the natural, bumpy appearance of these bricks after burning and fluidizing has resulted in this. This is why the locals of Tianjin call it the "Geda Building," or "Gade Building" in Tianjin dialect. "Geda" describes the rough, textured appearance of fired brickwork.

The Gedala Building is a three-and-a-half-story brick and wood structure. The first floor is semi-basement, and the main entrance is on the second floor, with high steps and a round arch. The third floor features a L-shaped balcony with columns resembling a string of pearls, a novel and unique design. The fourth floor features a row of water-patterned shutters, and green awnings over the windows. Above the round lintel is a cantilevered L-shaped balcony, a semi-concave arch. The variations in convex and concave create a rich sense of three-dimensionality and light and shade effects, with a strong Italian style.

Once the residence of renowned Peking Opera artist Ma Lianliang, Gedalou now shares its name with another renowned Tianjin building, the Porcelain House, owned by Zhang Lianzhi. As both a businessman and a collector, Zhang Lianzhi imbues this century-old Western-style building with a unique cultural character.

The Gedalou in Wudadao are very distinctive. They look messy, but the overall effect is full of artistic sense. However, they are not well preserved now.

You can only look at it from the outside and cannot go in. It is very difficult to take pictures.

There were far fewer people at Gedalou than at Chifengdao Porcelain House, so I took the risk of having Doudou sit on the wall to take a few photos. Thinking back on it, I was a little scared; it was actually quite dangerous.

On Fifth Avenue, the Geda Building is a sister of the Porcelain House. Its unique design makes it particularly eye-catching.

The Geda Building, which is similar to the Porcelain House, is not open to the public now. The courtyard is in a mess, as if the construction was left unfinished. If you really want to go in and visit, you'd better go to the Porcelain House.

"Gedalou" is an Italian-style Western-style building designed by Paul Bonetti in 1937. In the 1990s, Mr. Zhang Lianzhi purchased "Gedalou." Building on the original European classical style, he incorporated elements of porcelain from the Ming and Qing dynasties, seamlessly integrating traditional Chinese culture with antique porcelain hangings, creating a porcelain castle that ingeniously blends Eastern and Western styles. The building sits at the intersection of Hebei Road to the west and Munan Road to the north, with Machang Road to the south. With a construction area of 6,449.42 square meters, the four-story brick-and-wood Western-style building features row houses with a strong Italian style. "Geda" refers to the rough, textured appearance of fired brickwork.

The architectural style is very beautiful... The interior is currently under renovation and is not open to the public... But it's nice to look at it from the outside...

When I went there, the interior was under renovation, so I could only see the exterior from the outside. It felt very unique. It would have been nice if I could have gone inside to take a look.



There were all sorts of things on the walls, including porcelain, Buddha statues, and various three-dimensional objects. Several of the Buddha statues at the entrance were headless, which puzzled me at first. Later, I went to the Porcelain House, where several Buddha heads were on display. The guide then explained that the heads on display were all from the Buddha statue at the entrance of this building.

The former residence of Peking Opera artist Ma Lianliang is now home to Yueweixian, a renowned Tianjin restaurant. The well-trained waitstaff warmly welcomes everyone who enters, and even if you don't want to eat, they'll still show you around the house.

The entire exterior of the house is inlaid with precious porcelain tiles, and inside are numerous cultural relics, including a Buddha head that the waiter said is worth hundreds of millions. The private rooms are meticulously decorated, with an eight-immortals table and distinct chairs for the host or most distinguished guests. The waiter claimed these, too, are cultural relics (to be verified).

Gedalou is on Wudadao. It and the Porcelain House both belong to antique dealer Zhang Lianzhi. They have similar styles, but Gedalou is generally not open to the public. You can only take pictures outside. See the travel notes http://www.mafengwo.cn/i/3391172.html

"Gedalou" is one of the classic buildings on Fifth Avenue. At first, Mr. R and I mistakenly thought it was the Porcelain House. Fortunately, the people next to us told us that it was not. Otherwise, we would have missed the real Porcelain House.

People in Tianjin call it the Little Porcelain House. It was designed by one person and is said to be open to the public in the future.

It doesn't look as good as I imagined. I didn't go in, but it looks okay from the outside.

While "Gedalou" is a name for this tourist attraction, it's actually home to a renowned Tianjin restaurant called Yueweixian. However, this is no ordinary restaurant; inside, Feng Jicai inscribed it: "An Edible Museum." Indeed, the restaurant is decorated like a museum, and the waiters enthusiastically guide diners through the exhibits, explaining that some of the artifacts are worth tens of millions.

Dining inside a museum, the dishes are naturally exceptional, known as "Yueweixian Antique Cuisine." While the taste isn't particularly impressive, the highlight is the ambiance and, of course, the prices. It's a place I occasionally try to entertain out-of-town guests.

There are two Porcelain Houses in Tianjin: Gedalou and Chifeng Road. Gedalou is located on Wudadao. When I visited, it was closed to the public. A sign at the entrance said to visit the Porcelain House on Chifeng Road. Now, you can only admire its architecture from the outside. However, since it's on Wudadao, it's a great place to stop by while strolling along Wudadao. There's no need to linger too long; the European-style buildings and blooming flowers on both sides of the road are worth admiring.

Built in 1937, the Geda Building was designed by Italian architect Paola Nieder. Originally constructed by the British-owned Xiannong Company and later sold, the building was owned by Tong Guangzong, Yang Weichen, Shen Youren, and Enguang Hospital. The building sits at the intersection of Hebei Road to the west and Munan Road to the north, with Machang Road to the south. With a construction area of 6,449.42 square meters, the four-story Western-style brick-and-wood structure features a distinct Italian-style row house. The word "Geda" describes the rough, textured appearance of the burned brickwork.

Built in 1937, the Geda Building was designed by Italian architect Paola Nieder. It is a four-story Western-style brick-and-wood structure, a row house with a strong Italian style. "Geda" describes the rough texture of the burned bricks. Currently, House No. 285 is where the famous Peking Opera performer Ma Lianliang lived in Tianjin.

This former celebrity residence, hotel, and museum has been transformed into a porcelain house. It's currently under renovation and closed to the public, though I suspect they'll charge admission. It's completely ruined its original charm, what a shame.

It was still under renovation when I went there, so it was not open to the public.

This unique building is truly unforgettable. Built in 1937 during the Republican era, it is an Italian-style villa. Later, during renovations, its exterior walls were covered in tiles, making it famous.

It is located on the south side of Fifth Avenue, between Munan Road and Machang Road, and occupies a large area.

The exterior walls are decorated with ancient porcelain tiles, and the row houses are in a rich Italian style. It was closed for renovations when I visited, so I didn't get to go in and take a closer look, which was a bit of a shame.

This unsightly building was built in 1937 and designed by Italian architect Paolo Bonetti. It is a four-story Western-style brick-and-wood structure, a row house with a strong Italian style. "Geda" (lump) describes the rough texture of the burnt brickwork. Residence No. 285 is where the renowned Peking Opera artist Ma Lianliang once lived in Tianjin.

Walk about 500 meters from the entrance of Fifth Avenue, at the first intersection, in the southeast corner, you will see a very classic building.

I stumbled upon the Gedalou while passing Wudadao. Its style is exactly like a porcelain house, diagonally across from Tianjin Foreign Studies University. It really doesn't fit in with the other buildings. A closer look at it makes me start to get claustrophobic. I wonder if this house will be turned into a museum! Unfortunately, it's been made to resemble a porcelain house, losing its original charm.

Gedalou is one of the scenic spots. Seeing it gave me goosebumps. I quickly took a photo and left. . . . .

On Fifth Avenue, there are some porcelain decorations at the door, so it is also called the Porcelain House. . . There is a shop selling donkey meat hot pot opposite.

It's a very special building. I walked around it and was curious about why such a house was built.

My favorite building in the entire Munan Road is the Geda Building. It seems very strange at first glance, but it is very beautiful when you look closely.

It's a surprising building in Munan Road. I almost thought it was a porcelain house. It can be said to be a 360-degree building with no blind spots!

This was once the Tianjin residence of the renowned Peking Opera artist Ma Lianliang. Because of Ma Lianliang's presence, prominent figures in the cultural, political, and artistic circles of the time, including Yuan Shikai, Feng Guozhang, and Cao Rulin, as well as artists like Xun Huisheng, Mei Lanfang, and Yang Xiaolou, frequented the area. Originally a complex of eight high-end Italian-style condominiums, Zhang Lianzhi's masterful design transformed it into a time-traveling Chinese-style building. Visitors who have seen the Porcelain House will be familiar with the Gedalou.