[citation needed] Local Tianjinese people call the area "The Five Avenues".
There are over 230 buildings of all kinds from the architecture of Britain, France, Italy, Germany, and Spain.
[citation needed] Its colourful architectural styles range from the Renaissance, Greek, Gothic, Romantic and Eclectic.
In the 20th century, Tianjin had come to occupy a particular position in China: On the one hand, social and political unrest made concessions a haven for ousted politicians and businessmen; on the other hand, Tianjin was geographically well-placed for transportation and duty-free customs.
Tianjin was the first in terms of the size of its rich area among the affluent cities in modern China.