Guangzhou is a city in China that has undergone the same industrialization that is witnessed in many Chinese cities today be it Shanghai or Beijing. The unique aspect of the growth of most Chinese cities is that they manage to preserve their heritage and historical appeal even with the erection of ultra modern skyscrapers. Guangzhou is the largest city in Southern China and is the third largest on a national scale. It is located less than a hundred miles from Hong Kong along the banks of the Pearl River; it is this geographical location that spawned the rapid expansion of the city.
One such product of the modernization and development of Guangzhou is the Canton Tower that is located in the Haizu district. It is the jewel in the crown of this new commercial city. Canton Tower is an observational tower that was built for the 2010 Asian Games, a precursor to the much larger Olympic Games that was to be held in Beijing two years later. It heralded the new age of Chinese industry and briefly held the record of being the tallest tower in the world. Today visitors can climb up to the observation deck to gaze at the cityscape below.
However, the city was not always so busy and corporate. Not so long ago in the 17th century, Guangzhou was still known as Canton; it is thought that this name was adapted from the Portuguese word Cantao. The importance of the Canton Tower to the local people is underlined in the fact that it bears the city’s historical namesake.
The city was first a small trading hub, which saw a few European merchants from Portugal and France. Later it became an international trading hub with a multitude of nations coming here from the Arabs to the English. With time it grew and in recent times much of China’s industrial products have been exported through here.
Serviced apartments Guangzhou offer an ideal alternative to hotels when staying in the city. Service apartments in Guangzhou such as Ascott Guangzhou is well suited for long stay travellers looking to explore the region or conduct business.