Belvedere is a suburb of

Harare Harare (; formerly Salisbury ) is the capital and most populous city of Zimbabwe. The city proper has an area of 940 km2 (371 mi2) and a population of 2.12 million in the 2012 census and an estimated 3.12 million in its metropolitan ...

, the capital city and the largest metropolitan area of

Zimbabwe Zimbabwe (), officially the Republic of Zimbabwe, is a landlocked country located in Southeast Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo Rivers, bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the south-west, Zambia to the north, and Mozam ...

. Though historically home to a notable Indian population since 2012 Belvedere has become known for its growing Chinese population, due to the construction of Longcheng Plaza. The area is found to the west of the central Harare by the suburbs of Ridgeview, Monovale and Warren Park. It is noted for a new Chinatown that exists around the Longcheng area. This new Chinatown is now considered as the main Chinatown in Harare, replacing a nascent area in the CBD.

Location

Belvedere lies to the west of Harare's central business district and connects the center of the city to the more western suburbs of Warren Park and

Mbare Mbare is a suburb in the south of Harare, Zimbabwe. Founded in 1907 as a township, it includes an informal settlement. Mbare Musika is the largest farm produce market in Zimbabwe. History Mbare was the first township, now known as a high dens ...

, where the National Sports Stadium is located. The travel distance from downtown Harare to Belvedere is approximately by road. The coordinates of Belvedere, Harare are:17 49 39S, 31 00 43E (Latitude:-17.8275; Longitude:31.0120).

Overview

There is a sizeable Asian community of

Indian Indian or Indians may refer to: Peoples South Asia * Indian people, people of Indian nationality, or people who have an Indian ancestor ** Non-resident Indian, a citizen of India who has temporarily emigrated to another country * South Asia ...

origin in the area. There are two colleges,

Harare Institute of Technology Harare Institute of Technology (HIT) is a Zimbabwean university offering courses mainly in technology. History The Harare Institute of Technology (HIT) was established in 1988 as a National Vocational Training Centre (NVTC). Over time, it ev ...

and Belvedere Teachers' College.

FBC Bank FBC Bank , whose full name is FBC Bank Limited, is a commercial in Zimbabwe. It is licensed by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, the central bank and national banking regulator. Location The main branch and headquarters of the bank are located on t ...

, one of Zimbabwe's 17 licensed commercial banks, has a branch in Belvedere. Up until approximately 2010, Belvedere was a predominantly an Indian and

South Asia South Asia is the southern subregion of Asia, which is defined in both geographical and ethno-cultural terms. The region consists of the countries of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.;;;;;;;; ...

n neighbourhood. However, massive Chinese investment focused on Longcheng Plaza has led to an influx of new residents, drastically changing the character and demographics of the area.

Longcheng Plaza

Longcheng Plaza (literally Dragon City plaza) is a Chinese-built, outdoor

shopping mall A shopping mall (or simply mall) is a North American term for a large indoor shopping center, usually anchored by department stores. The term "mall" originally meant a pedestrian promenade with shops along it (that is, the term was used to refe ...

, that opened to the public December 2013. The plaza is home to a casino, supermarket and numerous shops offering a wide range of products and services. Some of the businesses at the mall include fashion, health & beauty, automotives, hardware & home, pharmacies, gift stores, jewelers & accessories, photography & videography, bakeries, electronics, musical instruments and nightclubs and bars. The mall was designed according to Chinese architectural styles - a first in Zimbabwe, revealing growing ties between Zimbabwe and China. The construction of the plaza has essentially made Belvedere the city's new

Chinatown A Chinatown () is an ethnic enclave of Chinese people located outside Greater China, most often in an urban setting. Areas known as "Chinatown" exist throughout the world, including Europe, North America, South America, Asia, Africa and Austra ...

- a hub for Chinese businesses within the city. The mall's anchor tenant is Ivato supermarket, hardware and furniture world. The supermarket offers a wide range on groceries, kitchen utensils, stationary and many other various products. Across the supermarket lies furniture and hardware stores offering stores, as well as a nightclub and casino. Construction of Longcheng Plaza, though successful has proved highly controversial due to the village's construction being out of step with local architectural styles and its construction on what had been an important

wetland A wetland is a distinct ecosystem that is flooded or saturated by water, either permanently (for years or decades) or seasonally (for weeks or months). Flooding results in oxygen-free (anoxic) processes prevailing, especially in the soils. The ...

. Additionally, many inhabitants of the new Chinatown in Belvedere are first generation Chinese immigrants from

mainland China "Mainland China" is a geopolitical term defined as the territory governed by the People's Republic of China (including islands like Hainan or Chongming), excluding dependent territories of the PRC, and other territories within Greater China. ...

. The Chinatown has a number of

paifang A ''paifang'', also known as a ''pailou'', is a traditional style of Chinese architectural arch or gateway structure. Evolved from the Indian subcontinent's ''torana'' through the introduction of Buddhism to China, it has developed many styles ...

(arches) that dot the shopping centre and have become popular tourist attractions.

References

External links

Location of Belvedere Teacher's College At Google Maps
{{Suburbs of Harare Suburbs of Harare Harare Chinatowns in Africa