Hutongs at Qianmen, Beijing, China

Continuing the series on Beijing neighbourhoods started with the Hutongs at Beilu Guxiang post, today I’d like to share some images taken over two trips to the Qianmen area of central Beijing. This neighbourhood has some of the most expensive real estate on earth, much of it not being available for sale, at any price. Land here is severely restricted in what you can do, and most families that own property in this area would never sell it.

Families lucky enough to be born in this area or having lived there since their childhood have since leveraged this location’s property to buy many more around China. These families now keep this property for prestige and potential financial upside. To give a sense of how expensive these properties are, a small 5.6 sqm (72 soft) unit sold for US$200,000 after 136 rounds of bidding at an auction in 2019! 

This area has a number of super cool cocktail and whiskey bars, and an endless selection of restaurants. You’ll find everything from super cheap (but still delicious) eats to exquisite Michelin star dining experiences in some of the most historic buildings on earth. It’s an incredible area and one that I hope to share with you in over the coming months.

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