Chongqing Grand Theatre Guide and the Best Views Nearby
Chongqing Grand Theatre sits on the north bank of the Jialing River, directly across from Chaotianmen, and is a cultural landmark in Chongqing. The riverfront park below the theater is also a good place for views of Hongyadong and the Yuzhong Peninsula after dark.
If you are visiting with children, I would recommend starting in the afternoon. Visit Chongqing Science and Technology Museum first, have dinner at one of the restaurants on the river-facing side of the theater, then head down to the river after dark for the night views of Hongyadong and Qiansimen Bridge.
Getting there
Take Metro Line 6 to Grand Theater Station and use Exit 3-1. From there, it is about a five-minute walk to Chongqing Grand Theatre.
What to see at and around Chongqing Grand Theatre
Designed by the German architecture firm gmp, Chongqing Grand Theatre faces Raffles City Chongqing across the river. The theater stands at Jiangbeizui, while Raffles City rises from Chaotianmen, on opposite banks of the Jialing River just before it meets the Yangtze. Seen together, they almost seem designed for this very confluence.
There is another interesting parallel between them: both designs draw on ship imagery. Raffles City draws on the idea of sails setting out from Chaotianmen, with its towers rising like sails above the river. The Grand Theatre, by contrast, takes its shape from a ship’s hull, wrapped in pale green glass and stretched along the Jialing River. From a distance, it looks like a huge emerald-green ship moored beside the Jialing River.
Up close, however, the effect is quite different. The huge glass facade fills most of your view, making it surprisingly difficult to make out the building’s overall shape. To see this “ship” at its best, you need some distance. Qiansimen Bridge, Raffles City, and Nanbin Road are all better places to see the building as a whole.
From the Grand Theatre side, however, the real highlight is the night view of Hongyadong across the river. The problem is that the theater sits fairly high above the water, and Qiansimen Bridge cuts across the view, so Hongyadong is not particularly well seen from here. You will need to continue downhill toward the river.
On the way, you will pass Baoding Gate, one of the best-preserved gates remaining from old Jiangbei. A restored section of the city wall stands beside it, and you can walk along the wall before continuing down to the river.
At the riverfront park, Qiansimen Bridge crosses the Jialing River directly ahead, with Hongyadong beneath it and the high-rises of the Yuzhong Peninsula filling the background. After the lights come on, the bright red bridge above and golden Hongyadong below make this one of my favorite night views in Chongqing.
I also had my wedding photos taken here years ago. Of the more than a hundred photos from that shoot, my favorite was the one taken at this spot.
For a more straight-on view of Hongyadong, there is no need to retrace your steps. Continue along the riverfront toward Qiansimen Bridge, pass underneath it, and come out on the other side.
Chongqing Grand Theatre is also a popular place to watch the Chongqing drone show. The river-facing side of the theater is wide and open, with the main performance area directly ahead.
The drawback is the angle: you are off to the side and behind the formations, so some of them can look distorted. If you happen to be near the Grand Theatre on a show night, it is a convenient place to watch. But if you are making a special trip for the drone show, I would recommend the Nanbin Road side instead.
