Tianjin, with the name of “Miniature of ChineseModern History”, has fully developed theeconomical, historical and cultural value ofhistorical buildings in recent years. The Italian-Style Area is built as the model of historicaland cultural inheritance on the bank of HaiheRiver as well as the bridge of communicationfor Chinese and foreign economy and culture.

Italian-Style Area is located at the Southern partof Hebei District in Tianjin downtown area. It isthe only Italian style building resources and thebiggest Italian cultural seedbed in Asia. This communityis the biggest and most functional as wellas the only Italian-Style Area in China. It winsthe reputation of “World Building Exposition” togetherwith other European style buildings.

At present, Italian-Style Area has been decidedas the biggest cultural cooperation item betweenChinese and Italian governments. Whatis more, it has also been listed in the key itemsof “the Eleventh Five-Year Plan” of Tianjin andthe important links of the development andreformation of Haihe River.

People can see Italian-style buildings of differentperiod, including more than 30 former residencesof famous persons. Almost every houseand every street here records the changes ofChinese modern history and implicates innumerablestories, such as the Italian Consulate,the Italian Barracks, Pelota Field, Former Residenceof Tang Yulin, etc..

Liang Chichao, the outstanding figure in politicalstage and academic forum in Chinesemodern time, once lived here and wrote downmasterpieces like Methods of Historical Research.Chinese playwright Cao Yu, who wrotethe classic modern drama Thunderstorms,spent his childhood and youth period here.

As the important links of the development andreformation of Haihe River in Tianjin, Italian-Style Area occupies about 28.45 hectares in itsfirst period, and the whole construction spaceis about 400 thousand square meters and theinvestment of this item has reached to aboutRMB 2 billion yuan. Now, this project goessmoothly. In its first period, the reformation of10 roads with the length of 6 kilometers, coalgas, water, electricity, communication and otherenvironmental landscapes have completed.The Convention and Exhibition Center withthe construction space of about 32 thousandsquare meters is built with a high speed andwill be completed in the next year.

In Italian-Style Area, construction and reformationof 62 buildings have completed. Atpresent, Italian Style Area has regained its oldlook in whole with integration of some modernelements. Scenic spots like Marco Polo Square,the Former Residence of Liang Chichao, andItalian Barrack have been completed andopened to the public. Other spots like theFormer Residence of Cao Yu will be completedand opened in this year.

Italian-Style Area has attracted the attention ofChinese and foreign elites by its good location,abundant cultural implication and rich repaymentfrom industrial investment. The thenItalian Premier Romano Prodi, together with aplenty of entrepreneurs, once visited Italian-Style Area. In recent years, many investmentgroups form Italian, Germany, America, Englandand other countries have visited this placeand reached a lot of agreements or intentionsof development cooperation.