Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All China Shanghai Shanghai's 1933 Slaughterhouse

Shanghai's 1933 Slaughterhouse

Rivers of cattle blood gone, a strange Escheresque building remains, the last of its kind.

Shanghai, China

Added By
Dylan Thuras
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
  Alternative Beijing
  Alternative Beijing
  Alternative Beijing
  Alternative Beijing
  Alternative Beijing
  Used with permission from alternativebeijing.com
  Alternative Beijing
  Alternative Beijing
  randomwire
  randomwire
  randomwire
  randomwire
  randomwire
  randomwire
  randomwire
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Once one of the largest slaughterhouses in the East, this poured concrete building is a study in a strange Escher-esque beauty.

Built in 1933 in pre-Communist Shanghai, the four-story building was designed by British architects and built by Chinese developers with British concrete. Today the building is an eerie Gotham-Deco achievement in concrete, glass, and steel, and the last remaining of its design in the world.

Since its retirement as an abattoir the building has served many purposes, from medicine factory and cold storage to “lifestyle center” where Ferrari owners meet. But the building's unique design emerges from its original purpose: slaughtering cattle.

The walls are 50 centimeters thick, and hollow to help control air temperature. Designed for efficiency, the hulking spiderweb of intertwining staircases, ramps, bridges and corridors was all part of guiding the flow both of thousands of workers to their stations, and of millions of cattle to their deaths.

Rough floor surfaces prevented cattle from slipping, even on blood-slick floors. The lovely lattice windows on the outside were built to create maximum air circulation. The entire building was built around a central atrium that let in natural light. Cattle were herded through "air bridges" of varying width which controlled the animals' flow, and the building's sharp angles allowed small spaces for people to stand in, in case the cattle began to panic.

However, despite the utilitarian purpose of the building, much thought was put into its style and decoration. The building is filled with decorative elements, such as beautifully designed Art Deco motifs in many of the windows and "flowering" columns. There is even a religious element to the design. All the windows were built facing west, the direction of the Buddhist holy land. This was thought to help aid the cattle's process of reincarnation. On a more practical note, it is also the wind direction in Shanghai and helped to counter the smell of slaughter.

Ultimately it is the interlocking staircases and twenty-six "air bridges" of varying width that connect the outer areas with the circular core that give the building its mind-bending M.C. Escher quality.

If you're interested in urban exploration, architecture, or are looking for a stunning photo backdrop, 1933 Slaughterhouse is a must-see.

Related Tags

Disaster Areas Architectural Oddities Ruins Architecture

Know Before You Go

The location is very popular with Shanghai millennials. If you're hoping to take purely architectural photos (e.g. devoid of people), be prepared to wait for just the right moment.

Don’t miss the Art Deco former incinerator for the carcasses across the road.

Community Contributors

Added By

Dylan

Edited By

unueco, almackenzie

  • unueco
  • almackenzie

Published

January 29, 2013

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Shanghai's 1933 Slaughterhouse
No. 10 Shajing Lu
Shajing Road, Hongkou District
Shanghai
China
31.254469, 121.492138
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum

Shanghai, China

miles away

Bund Sightseeing Tunnel

Shanghai, China

miles away

Peace Hotel Jazz Bar

Shanghai, China

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Shanghai

Shanghai

China

Places 31
Stories 3

Nearby Places

Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum

Shanghai, China

miles away

Bund Sightseeing Tunnel

Shanghai, China

miles away

Peace Hotel Jazz Bar

Shanghai, China

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Shanghai

Shanghai

China

Places 31
Stories 3

Related Stories and Lists

Introducing Our Friends: The Secret Guide to Alternative Beijing

essential guide

By Dylan Thuras

Related Places

  • The hypocenter and surrounding devastation immediately after the detonation of the bomb

    Hiroshima, Japan

    Hiroshima's Hypocenter

    A plaque marks the site directly below the mid-air detonation of the atomic bomb over Hiroshima.

  • Vientiane, Laos

    Wat Dane Soung Jungle Temple

    An ancient jungle temple carved into a rocky overhang of the Dane Soung Plateau.

  • Lower level view 3

    Athens, Greece

    Valerian Wall at Niche Hotel

    The ruins of an ancient fortification wall sit in front of and underneath this boutique hotel.

  • P-1 Level 1.

    Athens, Greece

    Klafthmonos Square Parking Structure Fortification Walls

    Preserved portions of Athens's ancient defenses are on display in a subterranean parking garage.

  • Roofless basilica.

    Cuilapam de Guerrero, Mexico

    Ex-Monastery of Santiago Apóstol

    This exquisite example of early colonial architecture remains unfinished almost 500 years after construction began.

  • The doorway of the old church of San Isidro.

    Oviedo, Spain

    Portada de la Antigua Iglesia de San Isidoro (Arch of the Old Church of San Isidoro)

    The surviving remnants of a destroyed medieval church now stand in a public park.

  • Kenmure Hill Temple.

    Johnstone, Scotland

    Kenmure Hill Temple

    A mysterious ruin shrouded in more folklore than fact.

  • Old Gorhambury House.

    Hertfordshire, England

    Old Gorhambury House

    These ruins of Francis Bacon's once-magnificent manor are hidden in the English countryside.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.