Katya Knyazeva is a journalist and photographer born in Siberia. After 2 years as interpreter and event coordinator in Russia’s largest ballet theater, she moved to South Korea to pursue a master’s degree in design. This led to working as a fine arts book illustrator in Seoul and Shanghai. An interest in transitional neighborhoods led Katya into urban studies and photojournalism. Since moving to China in 2006 she has published articles on Chinese cuisine, theater, fine arts and history.

For two years Katya has been working on a photographic atlas of Shanghai’s old town (to be published in the Summer of 2011). This book is a comprehensive street guide and oral history of the oldest and most obscure quarter in Shanghai.

Katya has been a guest speaker for Explore Shanghai Heritage and Russian Club. While continuing her work as an illustrator and designer, she also guides Shanghai Flaneur guests and clients through Shanghai’s secret lanes, she can do that in English or Russian language.

Der Old Town Walk mit Flaneurin Katya Knyaseva ist toll, weil sie in ein anderes Shanghai führt. Katya hat das umwerfend gemacht und die englische Sprache war kein Problem. Da wurden viele Informationen, viele überraschende Blicke vermittelt, aber vor allem viele Emotionen frei gesetzt. Katya ist in der Gruppe bestens angekommen. Sie besitzt ja auch viel Charme. Uns hat’s super gefallen und ich würde die Tour ohne Bedenken wieder buchen.

Ludger Baten, Vorsitzender der Deutsch-Chinesischen Gesellschaft Neuss