The Art District 798 is situated in Dashanzi which is part of the Chaoyang District in the city of Beijing. The entire zone is full of art galleries, shops, cafes and temporal expositions indoor and outdoor. The place was 50 years ago a military factory place as we can see in the industrial style of the architecture done with cement and the several chimneys among the area. The outside aspect often refers to the Tate Modern museum in London or to Greenwich Village or Soho in New York. With an interesting, modern and boehme atmosphere, the Art District was called 798 because during that time in China, factories were named by the Government with numbers starting with number 7.
The location covers an area of 640.000 square metres and had an initial budget of 140 million RMB. The old factory complex began before 1950 to create cooperation between China and the Soviet Union which was an extension of the “Socialist Unification Plan”. They pretended to create a shared military and industrial plan having the same projects to provide their countries with machinery and other electronic items.
Dragon’s sculpture
At the same time when the factory district started to been emptied, a community of artists where trying to find an area for their artistic performances and exhibitions. During the decade of the 80’ artists run-down houses were settle down in the Old Summer Palace and the actual Tongzhou district as well. It was finally during the 90’ when the Beijing’s Central Academy of Fine Arts, set up in the now Defunct Factory number 706, looking for a space for their workshops. Nowadays we can walk through the streets while we observe sculptures and other works in the sidewalks and in display cabinet of Art galleries. It can take about half a day sightseeing if you want to enjoy the galleries, the street-shops and maybe have lunch in one of the chic style roofs.
Another side of the Art District 798
We recommend you to visit the District if you have enough time:
- By Subway:
Take Line 10 to Sanyuanqiao Station. Leave from Exit C and find the Sanyuanqiao Bus Stop.
You have to take Bus 401 and get off at Dashanzi Lukou Nan.
- By Bus:
You have different Buses: 401, 402, 405, 445, 909, 955, 973, 988, or 991. You have to stop at Dashanzi Road Crossing South or Wangyefen.
- By Taxi:
If you want to arrive quickly, a taxi is a good idea but at least you have to speak a bit Chinese or try to indicate the taxidriver well. The Art District in Chinese is called: 798 Yìshùqū.
A dragon street-work
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