Ciqikou Ancient Town
The ancient town in Chongqing’s main area that best reflects traditional Chongqing customs.
Ciqikou Ancient Town is the largest and most traditional ancient town in Chongqing’s main urban area. Here, you can enjoy folk art performances like Bayu dance, Sichuan opera, and storytelling. The architecture mainly features Ming and Qing styles, with two- or three-story wooden or brick-wood buildings. Chen Mahua is a famous local snack known for its crispy texture, loved by visitors. It’s reported that Ciqikou receives over 17 million tourists each year, making it a popular destination for Chongqing Travel.
Table of Contents
Highlights of Ciqikou Ancient Town
Dragon Gate (Chinese name: 迎龙门)
Dragon Gate is the iconic building of Ciqikou Ancient Town. Standing beneath Dragon Gate, you can overlook the rushing Jialing River and feel the breeze coming off the water.
Chongqing Memory Museum (重庆记忆博物馆)
The Chongqing Memory Museum uses artifacts and photo exhibits to help visitors explore the millennia-long history of Ciqikou Old Town. Inside, you can see the ancient bluestone streets from the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, along with elements of old Chongqing like stilt houses, hot pot, and Sichuan opera. The museum also showcases traditional crafts such as fire dragons, paper cutting, face masks, Mahua, wood carving, and Shu embroidery, providing visitors with an immersive experience of Chongqing culture.
Baoshan Palace (宝善宫)
Baoshan Palace is a famous Taoist temple in Ciqikou Ancient Town, reflecting the Taoist concepts of yin, yang, and the five elements. Visitors can explore the Qing Dynasty courtyard and try on various traditional costumes for photos. The palace also features a tea culture experience center where guests can enjoy traditional Chinese tea while watching performances like Sichuan opera and face-changing. The well-preserved ancient buildings, old well, and wishing pond are all unique attractions worth exploring.
Zhongjia Courtyard (钟家大院)
Zhongjia Courtyard was built around 1880 by Zhong Yunting, a member of the Qing Dynasty court. It features a traditional courtyard layout, consisting of a front hall, main hall, and side rooms. The courtyard combines the charm of Northern Chinese quadrangles with the elegance of Southern Chinese residences. Inside, visitors can see ancient artifacts like Ming and Qing dynasty beds and “Hua Hao Yue Yuan” tables, making it an important exhibition space for Qing Dynasty residential culture.
Chongqing 1949 Theatre (重庆1949大剧院)
Chongqing 1949 Theatre is the largest single indoor immersive performance venue in the world. It features a 360-degree rotating stage and can accommodate 1,500 audience members. The main show is the stage play “Chongqing · 1949,” set against the backdrop of Chongqing’s liberation in 1949, highlighting red-themed historical narratives.
Street view of Ciqikou Ancient Town (磁器口街景)
Ciqikou is an ancient town rich in history and charm. The streets are lined with a variety of delicious foods, including Chongqing hot pot, spicy hot pot, douhua noodles, and duck blood vermicelli soup. There are also traditional pastry shops and tea houses. Visitors can watch the process of making traditional handicrafts and experience the allure of Chinese culture.
Popular Restaurants Near Ciqikou Ancient Town
Enjoying authentic Chongqing cuisine during your travel in Chongqing.
Yangji Longfu (Ciqikou Branch) 杨记隆府(磁器口店)
- The restaurant is decorated in an elegant Republic of China style, featuring colorful traditional Chinese lanterns that create a festive atmosphere.
Chongqing Spicy Chicken 重庆辣子鸡
This dish features chicken pieces tossed with fried chilies, Sichuan peppercorns, crispy Mahua, scallions, and sesame seeds. It’s savory, spicy, and aromatic, with tender chicken that leaves a lasting impression—truly a signature dish.
Chongqing Spicy Hot Pot with Blood Curd 重庆毛血旺
Ingredients include sesame seeds, duck blood, beef tripe, luncheon meat, squid rolls, tofu skin, sliced meat, pig liver, and yellow eel. The meat is cut into bite-sized pieces, allowing it to absorb the flavors well. The pig liver is tender and thin, but like the tripe, it should be eaten quickly, as it can toughen if left too long.
Spicy Beef Tendon Strips 火爆黄喉丝
Beef tendon is sliced and served with lotus root, pickled radish, ginger, scallions, and celery, making it a perfect side dish. Most ingredients are crunchy, each offering a unique texture. Combined with pickled peppers and sour radish, the tangy spiciness is simply mouthwatering.Address:
3rd Floor, Shaci Alley Commercial Street, 104 Shabin Road, Ciqikou
磁器口街道沙滨路104号沙磁巷商业内街3楼
Hours:
Monday to Sunday, 11:00 AM – 9:30 PM
Average Spend:
89 CNY (approximately 12 USD)
Practical Travel Tips
- Don’t buy the red fruits from the street vendors in Ciqikou; they aren’t local specialties and are expensive and tasteless.
- The specialty snack in Ciqikou is Mahua, and many shops offer free samples to try.
Hours and Fees
Hours
- Open all day.
Admission
- No admission fee required.
How to Get to Ciqikou Ancient Town
By Bus
- You can take bus routes 202, 220, 220 (scheduled line), 237, 261, 467, 503, and 808 to reach Ciqikou.
By Subway
- You can take Metro Line 1 and get off directly at Ciqikou Station.
