Wuhan Before the Lockdown - Aerial view of China's most (in)famous city

Wuhan in China has become the spotlight of the world this year, and not for good reasons. Before becoming (in)famous as the (most likely) source of the coronavirus, the city was fast becoming a crucial hub in central China’s economy. In recent years it grew into the main industrial and commercial powerhouse of the region, and also became an important link in the domestic high-speed railway network. It is strategically located along the mighty Yangtze river, and is linked to several other major urban areas in the country.

Wuhan is a conglomerate of three independent cities, Wuchang, Hangkou, and Hanyang. It was home to many historical events, and even briefly served as capital of China under the Kuomintang (in 1927). While it doesn’t boast any obvious tourist attractions, the city does have a unique character. Unfortunately, it gained international ‘fame’ as the start of the coronavirus Covid-19 outbreak.

I visited Wuhan twice in the past and found it quite an enjoyable city. It’s obviously massive and suffers from similar problems of other fast growing cities in China, but it’s also quite wide spread. The phenomenal bridges spanning the Yangtze river (from the historic double deck to the eye catching cable-stayed bridges) were probably some of the most striking visual sights I came across.

These are some images I shot on my last visit in September 2018, with a Phantom 4 Pro drone.