Stowell Street, Chinese Arch

2004/5 by Mr Yonglai Zhang. Constructed by 12 craftsmen from the Changsu Classical Garden Construction Company (Group) Ltd from Changsu, in the Jiangsu Province between October 2004 and January 2005. Formally opened to the public on 21 February 2005. The arch has two columns with one span and a roof with two levels. It is 11m high and has a span of 9m. It is decorated with carved and painted animals, mostly dragons and phoenixes, in golden yellow, green, blue and red. The seven panels on the arch are decorated with scenes or figures from Tyneside. Two lions stand at the base of the arch. Stowell Street became known as Newcastle's 'China Town' in the early 1980s.