The 11.3m high arch (the fourth to be built in the UK), located at the entrance of Stowell Street was built by a Shanghai-based Changsu Classical Garden Construction Company in China in 2004, implemented as phase one of Griffiths Thompson Partnership’s masterplan strategy for the Newcastle area.
There are also two lions which stand at the base of the arch, their presence is to guard the entrance.
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The arch is made of wood and stone and is painted and decorated with glazed tiles. At the top of the arch there are seven panels showing scenes from the North East
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The arch was designed and manufactured in China before being shipped to the UK where it was erected by a team of 12 Chinese workers. The total value of the project was £550,000 approx.
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The official ceremony of the Chinese Arch was held on 21st February 2005 with a good luck lion dance from Edmond Ng Choi Lay Fut Kung Fu Club.
The traditional Arch is a symbol to bring luck and prosperity. The number 8 is considered lucky in Chinese culture and is thought
to bring prosperity to the area therefore the height of the first level ridge is 8.88
The Chinese Arch in Newcastle is the first Arch in the UK to be partly paid for by the local Chinese community in which the local community started to raise funds since 1999, at the end of the six-years long effort, a total fund of £64,182.38 was raised among the local Chinese community and their friends. A milestone for the local Chinese community to celebrate as many cities in the UK have been refused permission to have a chinatown.