Today, when we walk into this small building, we can still feel its unique architectural style. The internal structure of this small building contains many medieval relics, which has high research value.
Yuan Shikai was once prominent in the modern history of China. He is the leader of the northern warlords. After the Revolution of 1911, he stole the post of interim president, and later restored the monarchy, which was denounced by the people. He and some of his relatives, with the help of its power, built many mansions in the concession. There are two Yuan Dynasty mansions in the concession. One is the former residence of Yuan Dingke, the eldest son of Yuan Shikai (now No.42, Zhu Min Road). Another place is the "Yuan Mansion" mentioned earlier.
It is said that this old Yuan house, located at No.39 Haihe East Road (formerly Jintang Second Road, Austrian Concession) in Hebei District, was bought at a low price from the Austrian Concession shortly after taking office as Governor of Zhili and Minister of Beiyang, and was designed and built by German and British architects. It is said that this place is "extremely expensive and has excellent feng shui". The building was completed in1917-1918. After the completion, Yuan Shikai has been dead for two years, so it is more accurate to say that he is a descendant of Yuan.
He also said that Yuan Fu was the residence of Yuan Naikuan, the nephew of Yuan Shikai, who was not only related to Yuan Shikai, but also a political confidant of Yuan Shikai. 19 10 years later, he successively served as the magistrate of Tianjin, the director of military supplies, and the deputy commander-in-chief of Mongolian Hongqi, ready to preside over the kerosene mine. 19 15 actively carry out Yuan Shikai's activities of declaring himself emperor. After Yuan Shikai's death, he built a car behind closed doors. 1923 served as the chief of agriculture and commerce in the high cabinet, and 1924 left his post and served as the ambassador to Tianjin.
This building is a classical three-story building in Europe, which is the evolution of the "Roman style" in the Middle Ages and incorporates the architectural technology of the Germanic nation. There is a bell-shaped lighting pavilion in the middle of the front ridge of the red steep slope roof, which is modeled after the dome of the "Santa Maria Cathedral" in the early Italian Renaissance. Compared with Italian architecture, the shape adds a reverse curve, forming a unique style of German architecture. The combination of square columns and colonnade columns is quite rare in Tianjin architecture, and there are two on the east side of the main building. There is also a back garden in the courtyard, including rockery, veranda, fishing pavilion and flower pit.
Most notably, there are "hiding places" and "escape places" in this building. The location of the stealth site is a small door in the right corner of the second floor. There are reinforced concrete stairs in the door, which can go up to the roof and down to the basement. If you close the small door, you won't find the stairs leading to the upstairs and basement. The "escape place" is an iron staircase next to the pavilion on the third floor, which can directly lead to the remaining door in the back garden, from which you can escape. In the comprehensive development and transformation of Haihe River, this building has been restored and is now a municipal cultural relics protection unit.