Asia Beauty Spot – Asia Scenery

Take a walk through Hong Kong’s colonial past, starting in Central with the Legislative Council Building, Cenotaph and Statue Square, then up to the Former French Mission Building [now Court of Final Appeal], St John’s Cathedral, Foreign Correspondents’ Club and Fringe Club, Government House, and west to the University of Hong Kong. In Wan Chai is the old Post Office [now Wan Chai Environmental Resource Centre], while in Causeway Bay is the Noon Day Gun. Across the harbour in Tsim Sha Tsui check out The Peninsula Hotel and the Former Kowloon British School [now the Antiquities & Monuments Office].

Legislative Council Building/Cenotaph & Statue Square

Opened in 1912, The Legislative Council Building in Central was declared a historical monument in 1984 and was home to the Supreme Court until 1985 when it was converted for its present use. The most outstanding feature of the building is the pediment in the center of the building that contains the statue of the Greek Goddess of Justice, Themis who is blindfolded and holds a scale.

Foreign Correspondents’ Club/Fringe Club

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.

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. In 1984, the southern segment was taken over by the Fringe Club, a hot spot for arts and crafts exhibitions, and the home of the annual Fringe Festival. The building was graded a historical building.

Former French Mission Building

The original structure on this site dated back to 1842. It was bought by the French Mission in 1915 and most of the present building was the result of an extensive renovation carried out in 1917.

The granite and red brick structure of the building can be described as neo-classical in style, dating from the Edwardian period (1901-10). It was returned to the Government after the war and has been used for different purposes including the headquarters of the Education Department, the District Court, the Supreme Court and the Information Services Department. It now houses the Court of Final Appeal.

Government House

Located in Mid-Levels on Upper Albert Road, this colonial gem was the former official residence of 25 British governors of Hong Kong prior to the handover in 1997. Built between 1851 – 1855 and extensively redesigned by the Japanese during their occupation of Hong Kong during WWII, the building has become a key heritage site. Since 2005, it has reverted to its original role, as home and office of the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. The splendid gardens filled with lovely rhododendrons and azaleas are opened for public viewing on special occasions.

Noon Day Gun

Located on the waterfront in Causeway Bay is the Noon Day Gun made famous by the Noel Coward song Mad Dogs and Englishmen. The gun is fired once every day at noon. The tradition is said to date back to the time a Jardine employee fired a one-gun salute when the head of the company sailed into port. A senior Royal Navy officer took offence at this practice and as a penalty, the company was ordered to fire the gun at noon every day as a time signal.

St. John’s Cathedral

Christianity has always played an important role in the lives of Hong Kong people. St. John’s Cathedral is the oldest surviving Western ecclesiastical building in Hong Kong and is believed to be the oldest Anglican place of worship in the Far East. Built in a style adopted from both the 13th-Century “Early English” and “Decorated Gothic”, construction was completed in 1849.

University of Hong Kong

The University of Hong Kong, opened in 1912, is the territory’s oldest university. Among its distinguished list of graduates is Dr Sun Yat-sen, the founder and acting President of the first Republic of China. Located on the hillsides above Western district, the university is best approached through the Mid-Levels. The campus includes the University Museum and Art Gallery, which is the oldest museum in Hong Kong and houses Chinese art and antiquities, principally ceramics, bronzes and paintings. The bronze collection includes the world’s largest collection of Yuan dynasty Nestorian crosses.

Courtesy of Hong Kong Tourism Board