An ancient Western-European architect once visited the old Tunxi street and said that he had found "The Eastern Ancient Rome."

Tunxi, a city steep in history, is a great bonus destination for tourists visiting Huangshan. It is the major gateway to Huangshan. Tunxi Ancient Street is one of China's best antique markets.

First built over 700 years ago, during the Song Dynasty (960-1279), the street is flanked by some buildings from this period. More noticeable are the buildings from the Ming and Qing Dynasties (1368-1911), during which time the "Tunxi Ancient Street" became a distribution center for goods and materials to Huizhou.

The street starts in the west at Zhenhai Bridge, a stone arch bridge built during the Ming Dynasty, and ends in the east at the "Memorial Archway." Its total length is about 1.5km and the sides of the street are laid with slab stones.

Most of the buildings are only three stories high, stone-based and brick-laid. They are decorated with small green tiles, wood carvings in the Hui style, ancient shop signs, and red-lacquered with double eaves on the roofs. They are simple and elegant, magnificent and clean.

The pavement is 5 to 8 meters wide, laid with large red flagstones. Whether you are wandering along the old bridge, visiting the fish beside the river, finding shoots of bamboo on the slope, or standing under a tree and listening to the birds whistle, it is easy to rest and attain mental tranquility by getting back to the nature.

Tunxi ancient street is lined up with antique shops, medicine shops, steelyard stores, teahouses, restaurants and galleries. Many of these shops carry more than a hundred years of history. Nearly all the shops here sell traditional Chinese painting stationeries, where you can find the "Four Treasures of the Study". The shops, workshops and residences have continued to maintain the characteristics and operational layout of ancient stores such as "shop in the front and workshop or house in the back". These stores also continue to use the same methods of production, display and operation as they did in ancient times. You can enjoy traditional Chinese curios and handicrafts, such as brush calligraphy, ink painting and woodcarving.