To the southwest of the Guǎngzhōu is the dappled oasis of Shāmiàn Island. It was acquired as a foreign concession in 1859 after the two Opium Wars. Shamian Dajie, the main boulevard, is a gentle stretch of gardens dotted by old houses, cafes and galleries. The Church of Our Lady of Lourdes, built by the French in 1892, is on the eastern end.
