HONG KONG
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Cenotaph & Statue
Square
Near the garden of Statue Square in Central district is the Cenotaph
and a statue of a 19th-Century HSBC manager, Sir Thomas Jackson. In
front, facing Victoria Harbour, is City Hall, which contains a
concert hall and theatre.
How to get there :
Take MTR to Central station (Exit J1)
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Former French Mission
Building
Located in the heart of Central district, this red-brick French
Mission Building, which is over 150 years old, has green shutters,
black wrought-iron details and a chapel added by French Catholic
missionaries who gave the building its name. It is reputedly the
location of the colony's first government house. Today, it houses
the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal.
How to get there :
Take MTR to Central station (Exit G) and pass through "The
Landmark" shopping mall. Cross the narrow part of Ice House Street,
then cross Queen's Road Central at the lights. Take Battery Path
immediately on your left and walk up to the end, the building is on
your left.'
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Fringe Club
The Fringe Club is housed in a brick and stucco colonial-style
low-rise structure built in 1913. Long before refrigerators became
common household items, it was used as a cold-storage warehouse for
ice and dairy products. The building has since been declared a
historical monument and, in 1984, the southern segment was taken
over by the Fringe Club, a hot spot for arts and crafts exhibitions,
and the hosting venue for the annual Fringe Festival.
How to get there :
Take MTR to Central station (Exit D1) walk along Wyndham Street
or take bus no. 26 outside Pacific Place of Admiralty.
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Foreign
Correspondents' Club
In the same historic building, the Foreign Correspondents' Club
(FCC) is where journalists from across the globe gather to wine,
dine and gossip. The FCC has invested heavily to accentuate the
lasting architectural merit of the building. The interior today,
with its dark wood panelling and long bar, is a vivid reminder of
more relaxed colonial times.
How to get there :
Take MTR to Central station (Exit D1) walk along Wyndham Street
or take bus no. 26 outside Pacific Place of Admiralty.
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Government House
Nestled in a Mid-Levels' garden on Upper Albert Road is the former
official residence of British governor in Hong Kong. Built in 1855
and extensively redesigned by the Japanese during their occupation
of Hong Kong in the Second World War, 25 British governors lived
here until 1997. Today it is used for fund-raising events, concerts
and to entertain foreign dignitaries. The gardens of rhododendrons
and azaleas are opened for public viewing four times a year.
How to get there :
1) Take bus no.3B, 12 outside City Hall or take bus no. 23, 23B,
40 outside Pacific Place and get off at Hong Kong Park. When get off
the bus walk pass HK Squash Centre and St. John's Building, cross to
Garden Road to USA Consulate, Government House is next to USA
Consulate. 2) Take MTR to Central station (Exit K) pass through Hong
Kong & Shanghai Bank then across Queen's Road Central and uphill
walk along Garden Road.
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HongKong Tramways
Running east and west along Hong Kong Island, these ancient trams
rock, rattle and roll along the same tracks they have travelled
since 1904. The tram offers one of the best views in town as it
weaves through various bustling districts.
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University of Hong
Kong
Although this university, the territory's oldest, is located on the
hillsides above Western district, it is best approached via Central.
Officially opened in 1912, it incorporated the College of Medicine,
from where Dr Sun Yat-sen, founder and first president of the
Republic of China, graduated. The University Museum and Art Gallery
houses Chinese art and antiques, including the world's largest
collection of Yuan Dynasty bronze ware.
How to get there :
1) Take bus no. 3B outside City Hall. 2) By bus no. 23, 40, 40M
outside Pacific Place at Admiralty. 3) Take maxicab no. 8 from Star
Ferry Pier at Central; Get off near the East Gate stop of the
University (opposite St. Paul College)
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Legislative Council
Building
Formerly the Supreme Court and opened in January 1912, this
two-storey neo-classical structure was converted to house the
Legislative Council Chambers in 1985.
How to get there :
Take MTR to Central station (Exit J1)
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Noon Day Gun
Sitting next to the waterfront on Gloucester Road, Causeway Bay,
this anachronistic historical relic was immortalised in the song Mad
Dogs and Englishmen written by Noel Coward. The gun is fired every
day at noon.
How to get there :
Walk to Excelsior Hotel from Causeway Bay MTR station (Exit D1).
Access is through a tunnel to the West of the Excelsior Hotel, in
front of the World Trade Centre.
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Wan Chai
Environmental Resource Centre (Old Wan Chai Post Office)
One of the island's oldest historical buildings, the Post Office was
built between 1912 and 1913, and now houses one of the resources
centres of the governmental Environmental Protection Department. The
Old Wan Chai Post Office is the starting point of the 1.5-kilometre
Wan Chai Green Trail.
How to get there :
1) Take bus no.6, 6A or 6X from Central (Exchange Square) Bus
Terminus. 2) Take bus no.10 outside Admiralty MTR station (Exit C1),
get off near the Hopewell Centre on Queen's Road East. 3) Take MTR
to Wan Chai Station (Exit A3) and walk along Tai Yuen Street about
10 mins.
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St. John's Cathedral
St. John's Cathedral is the oldest surviving Western ecclesiastical
building in Hong Kong and is believed to be the oldest Anglican
church in the Far East. Built in a style adopted from both the
13th-Century "Early English" and "Decorated Gothic", construction
was completed in 1849.
How to get there :
1) Take bus no.12A from Admiralty Station (Tamar Street)
(Circular) and get off at Garden Road in front of the Cathedral. 2)
Take MTR to Central Station (Exit K). Walk through Hong Kong Bank,
across Queen's Road Central and up the steps to Battery Path.
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Western Market
After extensive renovations, this Edwardian building, originally
completed in 1906, was re-opened in late 1991. Built in red brick
with a handsome granite arch over its entrance, the market now
houses alleys of fabric shops, stores selling traditional
handicrafts from imported "peasant art" to vintage European watches,
and a popular Chinese restaurant serving dim sum lunch.
KOWLOON
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Clock Tower
Alongside the Hong Kong Cultural Centre and the Star Ferry
Concourse, the Clock Tower was part of the former Kowloon-Canton
Railway Terminus. Built in 1915, it marks the start of the scenic
Waterfront Promenade and remains as a photogenic monument to Tsim
Sha Tsui's rail heritage.
How to get there :
1) By MTR to Tsim Sha Tsui station (Exit E), it takes 5 mins walking
along Peking Road towards Star Ferry Pier. 2) By Star Ferry from
Central or Wan Chai and follow the signs. The Clock Tower locates
next to Star Ferry Pier.
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Former Kowloon
British School - Antiquities & Monuments Office Exhibition Gallery
Completed in 1902, this is the oldest surviving school building
constructed for foreign residents in Hong Kong. The architecture is
typical of many English schools of the Victorian era. The building
is now used as the Exhibition Gallery of the Antiquities and
Monuments Office.
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Former Marine Police
Headquarters Compound
With a commanding position overlooking the harbour, this superb
cluster of buildings is the fourth-oldest surviving government
facility in Hong Kong. The Marine Police have operated on this site
since its completion in 1884. The compound comprises a main
building, a stable block and a two-storey time-signal tower, where a
time ball was dropped at 1:00pm every day until 1907 to enable ships
to check their chronometers. (Not open to the public)
How to get there :
The headquarters sit next to the Salisbury YMCA near the
junction of Canton Road and Salisbury Road, about two minutes walk
from the Kowloon Star Ferry Concourse or the Tsim Sha Tsui MTR
Station.
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Hong Kong Observatory
Built in 1883, this rectangular two-storey, plastered brick
structure with arched windows and long verandas, stands on a small
hill in Tsim Sha Tsui. It was declared a monument in 1984 and
continues to monitor Hong Kong's weather. (Group visits by
arrangement only. Please contact the Antiquities and Monuments
Office.)
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Star Ferry
The Star Ferry, Hong Kong's most scenic - and affordable - mode of
travel across Victoria Harbour, celebrated 100 years of service in
1998. The eight-minute ride between Central and Tsim Sha Tsui will
enchant even the most jaded traveller.
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The Peninsula
Affectionately known as "The Pen", this historic hotel, with its
famous gilded, columned lobby, first received guests in 1928. It is
the ideal spot for afternoon tea with cakes and cucumber sandwiches.
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Sightseeing
Information provided by
Hong Kong Tourism Board.
