Qingdao is a coastal city on the Yellow Sea in Shandong Province, known for its German colonial architecture, Tsingtao beer, sandy beaches and the granite peaks of Laoshan just outside the city.
Historical timeline
Key moments that shaped Qingdao.
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1
Qingdao was a small fishing settlement and Qing dynasty coastal defense post
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2
The Qing government establishes a defensive garrison at Qingdao, considered the city's founding year
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3
Germany leases Qingdao Bay ('Kiautschou Bay') and builds the brewery, cathedral, Badaguan villas and much of the old town's colonial architecture
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4
Japan occupies Qingdao twice, first after World War I and again during World War II
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5
Qingdao returns to Chinese administration between the two Japanese occupations
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6
Qingdao comes under the control of the People's Republic of China
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7
Qingdao hosts the sailing events of the Beijing Summer Olympics at the Olympic Sailing Center in Fushan Bay
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8
Qingdao Jiaodong International Airport (TAO) opens, replacing the old Liuting Airport
Historical sites
Places where Qingdao's past comes alive.
Republic of China treaty-port era villas (1920s-1930s)
Badaguan Scenic Area
Where: Coastal neighborhood, Shinan District
Admission: Free to walk the streets; villa museums ¥10-20 (~$1.40-2.80)
German colonial period (1905-1922), later Japanese and Republic of China administration
Huashilou (Former German-Japanese Governor's Residence)
Where: Hillside above Taiping Bay, Shinan District
Admission: ¥20 (~$2.80)
Republican-era Catholic revival architecture (1932-1934)
St. Michael's Catholic Cathedral
Where: Old town, Shinan District
Admission: ¥15 (~$2.10)
German colonial industrial period (founded 1903)
Tsingtao Beer Museum (Original 1903 Brewery)
Where: Shibei District
Admission: ¥60 (~$8.40)
Ming dynasty (Chenghua era, founded 1467)
Tianhou Palace (Mazu Temple)
Where: Near Zhanqiao Pier, Shinan District
Admission: ¥10-15 (~$1.40-2.10)