Nantang Old Street. /南塘老街。 [Photo by Tang Yan] 唐严摄

　　By Xu Zhuowei

　　Nantang Old Street is a commercial block where Ningbo's unique history and culture has been preserved. Consisting of South Street and North Street, the block is crisscrossed by 300 meters of lanes and alleyways lined with traditional residential buildings, shops, and ancestral worship halls.

　　南塘老街是展现宁波城市特征的历史文化特色商业街区，分为南、北两街。街区保留了三百多米的传统街巷，现存居住院落、商铺、祠堂等。

　　Most of the architecture at Nantang Old Street are residential homes built in the Ming and Qing dynasties. Their courtyards and gardens are tastefully adorned with traditional-style opera stages, decorative pavilions, and covered walkways.

　　老街建筑主要以明清的江南民居风格为主，建有戏台、八角亭、风雨长廊等传统建筑。

　　In 2012, Nantang Old Street was reopened after renewal, which preserved the historical and cultural legacy of the original architecture. Together, the shops, flagstone paths, crow-stepped gables, and waterfront docks form a charming portrait of a classic southern China water town.

　　2012年，南塘老街修缮重新开放，保留并体现原有街区的历史风貌和人文风情。老街石板路、马头墙、河埠头等组成的江南水乡风貌令人流连忘返。