It is from this square that the frenetic 5km-long pedestrianised Nanjing shopping street cuts a path through the city. The square, and its well-tended adjoining park, are home to the city hall, the Shanghai Museum, the Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Hall, the Opera House and the glass-fronted Museum of Art, in a sterile and impeccably maintained setting where buildings attempt to outdo their neighbours in contemporary design. For a good overall view, head to a secret corner of the park, near the lake, on the north side.