Xinghai Square, Dalian's Seafront Showpiece
Xinghai Square lies on the southern shore of Shahekou District in Dalian, facing Xinghai Bay. Its name means "sea of stars". With a total area of 1.76 million square metres it has long been called the largest city square in the world, and it is the place most Dalian itineraries begin. It is free and built almost entirely on reclaimed land. The square is mainly lawns, fountains and sculpture by the sea, so it suits a walk at the end of the day more than a sightseeing checklist.
From salt flat to square
Before the 1990s this shore was a disused salt works. Chinese Wikipedia records that the reclamation began on 16 July 1993, when the city used construction waste to fill 114 hectares of sea and developed another 62 hectares of land. The square was completed on 30 June 1997, the day before Hong Kong's return to China, and opened free to the public. The project took shape while Bo Xilai was mayor, a link that later shaped one part of the square.
The design and its numbers
The square is an oval about 1,010 metres from north to south and 630 metres across, and lawns cover about 850,000 square metres, more than three quarters of the area. At the centre is a circular plaza laid out like the Circular Mound Altar at Beijing's Temple of Heaven. Its inner circle measures 199.9 metres across for the city's centenary in 1999, and the outer circle 239.9 metres, pointing to a five-hundredth anniversary in 2399. The centre is paved with 999 pieces of red Sichuan marble carved with the heavenly stems and earthly branches, the solar terms and the zodiac. Nine tripods each carry one character of a slogan on national unity.
For almost twenty years a white marble huabiao column, 19.97 metres tall and carved with nine dragons, stood in the middle. It was taken down in the early hours of 5 August 2016. English Wikipedia reports the removal was widely linked to the political fall of Bo Xilai, and local media said little about it. In November 2017 a musical fountain opened in its place, 140 metres across with a maximum jet of 88 metres, and described as the largest in Northeast China.
The Centennial Sculpture and the footprints
On the sea side stands the Centennial City Sculpture, unveiled in 1999 for the city's hundredth anniversary. It is shaped like an open stone book facing the water, a symbol of Dalian turning a new page. Leading up to it is a copper path of 1,000 footprints pressed by real Dalian residents. They are arranged by age from north to south, starting with people born in 1899, the year the city was founded, and ending with children born in 1999. Walk the path toward the sea and you pass through the city's century in a few hundred steps.
Around the edge of the square, 30 hollow stainless steel mesh figures show athletes in thirty different sports. They were installed for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Around the square
The Dalian Shell Museum, opened in 2015 on the square in a building shaped like a lying shell, has a large collection of shells. A man-made beach and a yacht club sit on the south side. To the north are the Dalian International Conference and Exhibition Centre, the city gymnasium and swimming hall, and to the east a strip of restaurants and bars.
Offshore, the Xinghai Bay Bridge opened on 30 October 2015, the same day as Dalian Metro Line 1. Chinese news reports give it a length of about 6 kilometres with an 820-metre main span, lined up with the square's central axis. It is lit at night, and the lights are the main reason to stay after dark.
Festivals and events
The square is the city's main event ground. Since 2003 the Dalian International Walking Festival has made the third weekend of May a walking day along the square and Binhai Road. The China International Beer Festival in Dalian and the Dalian fashion festival have used the square for years, and marathons pass through. During big events the area is crowded and some sections close, so check the city's notices if your dates overlap.
Visiting
Late afternoon into evening is the best time. Arrive with an hour of daylight to walk from the central plaza to the book sculpture and the beach, then wait for the bridge and fountain lights. Wind off the bay is strong and cold outside summer, so bring a layer. Metro Line 1 and city buses serve the area. Check the current map for the nearest station to your starting point, since the square is large and the walk from one end to the other takes time.
Pairing it
The square is on the same southern shoreline as Laohutan Ocean Park and the Binhai Road coastal drive, so the Dalian guide places it with Laohutan on day one. For history, give a separate day to Lüshun Museum and the old naval port at the tip of the peninsula.
Things to confirm before you go
- Fountain show times, which follow city notices and the season.
- Any festival closures or crowd controls.
- Opening hours and tickets for the Shell Museum if you plan to go in.
- Wind and temperature for an evening walk.
Frequently asked questions
Is Xinghai Square free?
Yes. The square and its sculptures are open public space. The Shell Museum is a separate attraction with its own arrangements.
Is it really the largest square in the world?
It has often been described that way, at 1.76 million square metres including lawns and fountains. Definitions of a city square vary.
What happened to the huabiao column?
The central huabiao was removed in August 2016, and a musical fountain replaced it in November 2017.
When is the best time to visit?
Late afternoon and evening, for sea light, the fountain and the lit Xinghai Bay Bridge.
Sources
Facts in this article were checked against the following sources, retrieved 10 October 2026.
- Xinghai Square, English Wikipedia
- 星海广场 (大连市), Chinese Wikipedia
- Dalian Metro Line 1 opening, China News Service, October 2015
Photos are from Wikimedia Commons under the licences shown in each caption.