ARCHIVE № 002

Custom House, Shanghai

Landmark clock tower of the Bund, home to the largest surviving mechanical chiming clock in Asia

A customs administration building completed in 1927; its clock tower, modeled on London's Big Ben, still strikes the hours and remains the most recognizable landmark on the Bund skyline.

Former names: Jianghai New Custom House, Customs House
Also known as: Big Clock Tower

Hand-drawn elevation of Custom House, Shanghai

The record

Completed: 1927
Begun: 1925
Architect: George L. Wilson
Architecture firm: Palmer & Turner
Developer: 江海关
Contractor: 新金记祥号营造厂
Style: Eclectic style combining Greek classicism with modern architecture
Structure: Reinforced-concrete frame structure with granite facades
Storeys: Main block 8 storeys; about 11 in the clock tower
Type: Civic & Public
District: Huangpu
Address: 13 East Zhongshan Road No. 1
Historic area: The Bund Historic Area
Heritage listing no.: 1A004
Coordinates: 31.238611, 121.485417

Shanghai Heritage ArchitectureBatch 1 · Listed 1989
Shanghai Municipal Heritage SiteListed 1989
Major National Historical and Cultural SiteBatch 4 · Listed 1996

Timeline

1846
First Custom House Built
A custom house in the style of a Chinese official compound was completed here, one of the earliest offices of the Shanghai Customs.
1893
Third-Generation Building Completed
A new building in the style of a Western church was completed, built under contract by Yang Sisheng.
1925
Foundation Laid for the Present Building
Construction began on the fourth-generation building designed by Palmer & Turner.
1927
Building Completed and Great Clock Arrived
The building was completed and opened, and the English-made great clock arrived in Shanghai by sea and was installed.
1928
Clock Struck for the First Time
The great clock rang for the first time on New Year's Day, and long played the Westminster chimes thereafter.
1996
Listed as a Nationally Protected Site
Included with the Bund ensemble in the fourth batch of Major Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the National Level.

Uses over time

Historic uses: Custom House of the Shanghai Customs (1927 to present)
Today: Offices of Shanghai Customs of the People's Republic of China

Visiting

Check official announcements

The building is a working office of Shanghai Customs and is not normally open to the public. In some years parts of the building have been opened in connection with the 'Architecture is Readable' program or major exhibitions (such as the Huangpu section of the 2025 Shanghai Urban Space Art Season), with real-name reservation required.

the Bund
clock tower
Palmer & Turner
largest clock in Asia
Shanghai Customs

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