蘇州街原稱買賣街(Merchants Street),乾隆時仿江南水鄉(South China towns)而建,是專供清代帝后觀賞游覽的一條水街,1860年被英法聯軍(Anglo-French Allied Forces)焚毀,1986年復建。蘇州街全長三百米,以水當街,以岸作市,沿岸設有茶館、酒樓、藥房、錢莊、帽店、珠寶鋪、雜貨鋪(grocery store)等六十多個鋪面,集中展現了18世紀中國江南的商業文化氛圍。
Suzhou Street, originally called Merchants Street, was modeled on the style of South China towns during Emperor Qianlong’s reign. It was a water street built exclusively for emperors and empresses to go sightseeing and was burned to the ground by the Anglo-French Allied Forces in 1860 and restored in 1986. The 300-meter street is built over water with shops and stands on the bank. More than 60 storefronts, including teahouses, restaurants, pharmacies, money shops, hat stores, jewelry stores, grocery stores, operate on the bank, serving as a concentrated illustration of the commercial culture atmosphere in South China towns in the 18th century.