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The entrance of Liverpool’s Chinatown is landmarked by this beautifully crafted traditional Chinese arch.

Standing at 13.5 metres (44 ft) high, Liverpool's Imperial Arch is the tallest in Europe and the second tallest in any Chinatown outside of mainland China (Link BBC News). Initial construction began in October 1999; the structure was imported piece by piece from Shanghai and then reconstructed by a team of 20 craftsmen including stone masons, stone carvers, painters and construction engineers who travelled from Shanghai to Liverpool. It was opened in time for the Chinese New Year of the Dragon in 2000. The arch has been the focus of Liverpool's Chinese New Year celebrations every year since.

The wooden and marble structure with a mixture of stunning gold, red, green and the Chinese Royal colour of yellow, boasts 200 hand carved dragons of which 188 are ordinary and 12 are pregnant, the meaning of which is to symbolize good fortune between Liverpool and Shanghai. In the centre of the arch (see SJ3589 : Liverpool Chinese Arch), golden Chinese characters translate as "Chinatown”.