It is located mostly on the southern side of the Yellow River, and includes the downtown Lanzhou.

Both the Gansu provincial government capitol and that of Lanzhou prefecture-level city are located within the district.

In 215 BC, Meng Tian captured the area south of the Yellow River from Hu barbarians and Yuzhong County was established at the current location of Donggang Subdistrict in Chengguan.

In 1764 the administrative centers moved back to Chengguan, then known as Gaolan County.

In 1941 present day Gaolan County was spun off and the modern Chengguan District was established, which then encompassed the entire urban area of Lanzhou.