1881 Heritage1881 Heritage was the former Marine Police Headquarters constructed in 1884, comprises a main building, a stable block and signal tower (commonly known as Round House). The compound has been occupied by the Marine Police since its establishment until 1996, except for the Japanese Occupation (1941-1945) when it was used as a base by the Japanese navy. The main building was originally a two-storey structure to which was added an extra storey in the 1920s. The south-east and south-west wings of the main building served as married quarters. During the Japanese Occupation Period, extensive underground tunnels were constructed beneath the lawn but after World War II, in view of public safety, these tunnels were blocked and the lawn was re-turfed. The Signal Tower is the most unique building within the compound and was constructed to provide time signals to ships in the harbour. Its use diminished in 1907 when the time ball apparatus was removed to Signal Hill. Being one of the oldest surviving government buildings in Hong Kong, the former Marine Police Headquarters Compound was declared a monument in 1994.
Antiquities and Monuments OfficeThis is the oldest surviving school building constructed for foreign residents living in Hong Kong. In 1900, Mr. Ho Tung (later Sir Robert) donated $15,000 to the Government to erect a school in Kowloon. The building was officially opened on 19 April 1902. It is a typical Victorian structure, but was modified to adapt to local climatic conditions by adding wide verandas, high ceilings and pitched roofs. After proper restoration, it houses the Antiquities and Monuments Office.
Court of Final Appeal (Old Supreme Court)The Old Supreme Court was built on reclaimed land using hundreds of Chinese fir-tree piles as foundations. The building was opened on 15 January 1912 by the Governor, Sir Frederick Lugard. The two-storey granite building is neo-classical in style supported by tall Ionic columns. The most outstanding feature of the building is the pediment in the centre portion which is surmounted by a blind-folded statue of Justice, represented by the Greek goddess Themis. It housed the Legislative Council Chambers from 1985 to 2011 and has been accommodating the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal since 2015 after renovation.
Duddell Street Steps and Gas LampsThe stone steps at Duddell Street, Central were built between 1875 and 1889. Four gas lamps surmounting the balustrades at the top and foot of the steps are the only surviving working gas street lamps in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong and China Gas Company which was originally founded to provide street lighting in Hong Kong continues to operate the lamps as objects of historical interest.
Former Central MagistracyThe construction of the Central Magistracy commenced in 1913 and was completed in 1914. The site was originally occupied by the first Hong Kong Magistracy which was probably erected in 1847 but was later demolished to make way for the present building. The provision of an extensive basement in the new magistracy caused much difficulty and delay in the construction work. The building has a majestic appearance with imposing pillars of the facade and other features in the Greek-revival style. The massive retaining walls were constructed with granite blocks. The Central Magistracy was closed in 1979 and had been used by different associations affiliated to the Police.
Former French Mission BuildingThe building on Battery Path, Central, was built in 1917 on the foundation of a previous structure. A chapel is incorporated in the north-west corner with its cupola projecting above the roof. The three-storey building is constructed in granite and red bricks in neo-classical style. It was occupied successively by the Education Department, the Victoria District Court, the Supreme Court, the Information Services Department, and the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal.
Former Kowloon-Canton Railway Clock TowerThe Hong Kong Section of the Kowloon-Canton Railway was opened for traffic on 1 October 1910. The construction of a terminus in Tsim Sha Tsui started in 1913 and the clock tower was completed in 1915 to form part of the complex. The main terminus building was demolished in 1978 leaving only the clock tower which has become a landmark of Hong Kong. The clock tower is 44m high surmounted by a 7m lightning rod.
Government HouseGovernment House was formerly the office and residence of previous Governors of Hong Kong. Construction works started in 1851 and took four years to complete. At that time it enjoyed a fine harbour view. It was originally built in the Georgian style and bore rich colonial characteristics. It underwent a number of large-scale renovations, with the latest undertaken in 1942, during the Japanese Occupation, by a Japanese engineer, Siechi Fujimura, who designed to construct a dominant central tower to link the two original buildings; the roofs were also modified to add in more Japanese flavour, thus diminishing the strong European style of the mansion. It was then used as the military headquarters for the Japanese until 1945. Government House is now the residence and office for the Chief Executive.
HK Museum of Medical SciencesAt the end of the 19th century, bacteriological studies in Hong Kong were still underdeveloped. It was not until 1905 that a permanent Bacteriological Institute was constructed at Caine Lane. This elegant red-brick building was renamed the Pathological Institute after World War II and was later occupied by the Department of Health as a medical store. It has been recently converted to the Hong Kong Museum of Medical Sciences managed by the Hong Kong Museum of Medical Sciences Society.
Hong Kong ObservatoryThe Hong Kong Observatory was established in 1883 and was built on a small hill in Tsim Sha Tsui Kowloon. Built in the colonial style, it is a rectangular two-storey plastered brick structure characterised by arched windows and long verandas. The technical and operational units of the Observatory have been moved to new premises nearby, leaving the old building to continue to house the office of the directorate and to serve as a centre of administration.
Man Mo TempleBuilt in 1847, it was dedicated to Man Cheong (the God of Literature) and Kwan Yu (the God of War).
Museum of Tea WareFlagstaff House in Hong Kong Park Central is the oldest existing Western building in Hong Kong. Built in 1846 for Major General George Charles D'Aguilar, it was formerly known as Headquarters House. The building was renamed Flagstaff House around 1932 and remained the office and residence of the Commander of British Forces until 1978. It now houses the Museum of Tea Ware displaying Chinese teaware and related material of different periods.
Tai Kwun (Old Central Police Station)The oldest structure within the compound is a barrack block built in 1864. It is a three-storey building constructed adjacent to Victoria Prison. A storey was later added to the block in 1905. In 1919, Headquarters Block facing Hollywood Road was constructed. Subsequently in 1925, the two-storey Stable Block was constructed at the north-west end of the parade ground and later used as an armoury.The Police Station together with the former Central Magistracy and Victoria Prison form a group of historical architecture representing law and order in Hong Kong.
Old Wan Chai Post OfficeThe Old Wan Chai Post Office is the oldest surviving post office building in Hong Kong. This L-shaped building situated at the junction of Wan Chai Gap Road and Queen's Road East, was erected between 1912 and 1913, and opened on 1 March 1915 as the Wan Chai Post Office. It is a simple pitched-roof structure with attractive gable ends and mouldings. The building is now operated by the Environmental Protection Department as a resource centre.
Signal Tower at Blackhead PointThe Signal Tower in the Signal Hill Garden at Blackhead Point was built in 1907 by the Hong Kong Observatory to house a time-ball apparatus that was previously located in the nearby Round House of the Former Marine Police Headquarters. The Signal Tower was one of the two buildings constructed in Hong Kong for the purpose of signalling accurate time to the mariners and the public.
St. John's CathedralSt. John's Cathedral is the oldest surviving Western ecclesiastical building in Hong Kong. The foundation stone was laid by the Governor, Sir John Davis on 11 March 1847 and the construction was completed in 1849. The Cathedral underwent extension in 1873. During the Japanese Occupation (1941-1945), it was converted into a club house for the Japanese and thus suffered damage.
St. Joseph's CollegeThe North Block and West Block of St. Joseph's College at 7 Kennedy Road, Hong Kong were declared historical monuments on 18 August 2000. St. Joseph's College is a Roman Catholic missionary school and its forerunner, St. Saviour's College, was opened at Wellington Street in 1864 by the Roman Catholic Church. In 1875, six La Salle Brothers took over the school and renamed it as St. Joseph's College. In 1918, the college moved to the present site at 7 Kennedy Road, which had been previously occupied by the Club Germania. The Classroom Block, i.e. the present North Block, was opened in 1920 while the Science Block or the Chapel Block, i.e. the present West Block was opened in 1925. The North Block and West Block are currently the only existing pre-War buildings of the college. The former is a four-storey building flanked by two clock towers at both ends and has verandahs on one side whereas the latter is also a four-storey structure with a turret on top.
The CenotaphLocated in Central, the Cenotaph is an almost exact replica of the Cenotaph in Whitehall, London. It was unveiled in 1923 to commemorate the dead of the First World War, and was simply inscribed with the words “The Glorious Dead.” The dates 1939-45 were later added to honour victims of the Second World War. In the 1970s, the Chinese inscription meaning “May their martyred souls be immortal, and their noble spirits endure” was inscribed as a belated recognition for lives lost during the Japanese invasion in the Second World War.
The Main Building, the Helena MayThe Helena May was built in 1914 and officially opened on 12 September 1916. It was originally used as a hostel for single working women of European origin. However, since 1985 women of all nationalities have been accepted as residents. Apart from quarters, the Main Building also comprises a library, a reading room and some classrooms. After several renovations, the Main Building was upgraded to provide 28 bedrooms. During the Japanese occupation period, all the furniture in the Main Building and the books in the library were lost. After World War II, the building was reopened in 1946 to provide accommodation for working women.
Victoria Prison CompoundBuilt in 1841, Victoria Prison is understood to be the first western building constructed of durable material in Hong Kong. Most of the buildings within the compound were damaged by bombing during the Second World War. The Prison was reopened in 1946 after repairs.
Western MarketWestern Market consisted originally of two separate blocks. The South Block at Queen's Road Central was built in 1858 and demolished in 1980. The remaining North Block, smaller and more compact in design, was built in 1906. It is in Edwardian style highlighted with "bandaged" brickwork on the four corner towers. When the former Urban Council's market facilities came into operation in 1989, the market building became vacant and was later converted into a traditional trade, arts and crafts centre in 1991. Refurbishment taken place again in 2003. URA appointed Telford Recreation Club Limited as the Manager of Western Market. Adopting the concept of adaptive-reuse, the building now accommodates a theme restaurant and boutique shops that turning the building and the vicinity into a place for lifestyle shopping and leisure activities.
Asia Society Hong Kong CenterThe building was the former Explosives Magazine, and it was intended to support the Victoria Barracks which were erected between 1843 and 1874. The Magazine comprises three buildings, Magazine A and the Old Laboratory were in existence by 1868. Magazine B and the North and South Traverses (the large earth blast bunds separating the magazines for safety concern) were added between 1901 and 1925. In 1979, the Victoria Barracks were vacated and later redeveloped into the Hong Kong Park. The former Explosives Magazine became the workshops and storehouses of different Government departments.
Aviary Support Centre (Education Centre), Hong Kong ParkThe Centre was the first British military compounds of the Old Victoria Barracks (Wavell House), constructed between the 1840s and 1874. During the Japanese Occupation (1941-1945), the Barracks were used by the Japanese. After the war, the Barracks had undergone major restoration. In 1979, Victoria Barracks was handed back to the Hong Kong Government. Part of the barracks was later converted into the Hong Kong Park in 1985, the Wavell House converted into the Aviary Support Centre (Education Centre).
Bishop's HouseThe Bishop's House was originally built in 1848 and rebuilt in 1851. Part of the premises was used as a school of St. Paul's College. It now serves as the office of the Anglican Archbishop of Hong Kong.
Blue House Cluster"Blue House", situated at 72 Stone Nullah Lane in Wanchai, is a pre-war building with more than seventy years of history that shows architectural characteristics of both Chinese and Western styles. Many of the internal structures like purlin, staircase, railing are still preserved in their authentic wooden fabric. "Blue House" is a four-storey building, which is named from the brilliant blue colour painted on its external walls. There are still residents living inside and some of them have to share the kitchen.
Chinese YMCA of Hong Kong CentreBuilt in 1918, the Chinese Young Men's Christian Association of Hong Kong Central Building was used as the headquarters of Chinese YMCA of Hong Kong until 1966. The premise was well-equipped with modern facilities at that time, including the first indoor swimming pool in Hong Kong and sports playground with a jogging track. The notable Chinese writer Lu Hsun once lectured in the Building in 1927. During the Second World War, the Building was used as the headquarters of the A. R. P. (Section A of Mid-level) which served thousands of refugees. During the Japanese Occupation (1941-1945), YMCA was under the control of the Education Department of the Japanese Government and offered Japanese and German courses. Since 1966, the building served as a centre for the youth after the headquarters moved to Waterloo Road, Kowloon.
Cotton Tree Drive Marriage RegistryThe building was the first British military compounds of the Old Victoria Barracks (Rawlinson House), constructed between the 1840s and 1874. During the Japanese Occupation (1941-1945), the Barracks were used by the Japanese. After the war, the Barracks had undergone major restoration. In 1979, Victoria Barracks was handed back to the Hong Kong Government. Part of the barracks was later converted into the Hong Kong Park in 1985, the Rawlinson House converted into the Cotton Tree Drive Marriage Registry.
Former Pumping Station of Water Supplies DepartmentAlso known as "The Red Brick House", the Former Pumping Station of Water Supplies Department was built in 1895. It is the oldest pumping station in the territory. Its founding was proposed in 1890 by Osbert Chadwick, consulting engineer of the Crown Agents. This pumping station lost its importance in the 20th century. The Kowloon Reservoir was built in 1906 and other reservoirs were subsequently built. In the 1910s-1920s, the structure was converted into a post office.
Former Whitfield Barracks, Kowloon ParkWhitfield Barracks were first constructed in the 1890s for the British Indian garrisons. Twenty five barrack blocks were built by 1906, and expansion took place in subsequent years to replace primitive matsheds. By 1910, there had been 85 barrack buildings constructed. A mosque was also built at the southeastern corner of the site for worship by the garrison. The Barracks were handed over to the Government in 1967. In 1970, the then Urban Council took over the site and redeveloped it into Kowloon Park. Most barrack buildings were demolished and only 4 blocks were left for reuse as stores and exhibition centres.
Fringe ClubThis building was established in 1892, the Old Dairy Farm Depot was an icehouse. The original depot only comprised about half (the southern part) of the present premises. In 1896, the company's headquarters was moved to the main depot. The depot later had expanded to include a butchery, a pie-making section, a milk distribution centre, and an ice-retailing depot, the delicatessen and the boiler room. The renovations in 1913 also provided accommodation for the General Manager. During the Japanese Occupation(1941-1945), the Company's property was looted. The depot remained as the company‘s headquarters until the 1970s. Since 1982, the Foreign Correspondents' Club, Hong Kong occupied the north block and two years later, Fringe Club has leased the south block.
HK City HallCompleted in 1960, the Hong Kong City Hall is the earliest city hall existed in Hong Kong. It was the venue for official events. The 24th to 28th Governor of Hong Kong all swore their oaths of office at the City Hall. Guard inspection would be held outside the City Hall welcoming the arrival of the Royal visitors and new Governors. Built in between the High Block and Low Block of the Hall, the Memorial Garden was in commemoration of soldiers and citizens scarified, who were in defence of Hong Kong during the Second World War. The 12-sided Memorial Shrine with a roll of honour is found in the center of the Garden. The City Hall also signified the development of public museum and the first public library in Hong Kong.
Hong Kong Visual Arts CentreThe Centre was the first British military compounds of the Old Victoria Barracks (Cassels Block), constructed between the 1840s and 1874. During the Japanese Occupation (1941-1945), the Barracks were used by the Japanese. After the war, the Barracks had undergone major restoration. In 1979, Victoria Barracks was handed back to the Hong Kong Government. Part of the barracks was later converted into the Hong Kong Park in 1985, the Cassels Block converted into the Hong Kong Visual Arts Centre in 1992.
Hung Shing TempleHung Shing Temple was probably erected in 1847 in dedication of Hung Shing Tai Wong, a deity protecting fishermen. The latest renovation in 1992 restored the original inscription on the granite lintel in the extension, Kwun Yum Temple, which was built in 1867. The Temple related to the naming of Tai Wong Street West and Tai Wong Street East, with Tai Wong refers to Hung Shing Tai Wong. The management of the Temple has been delegated to the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals by the Chinese Temples Committee since pre-war times.
Jamia MosqueThe Jamia Mosque, built in 1849 and commonly known as Lascar Temple, is the first mosque in Hong Kong. The Mosque is of rectangular shape with an arched main entrance and arched window of Arabic style on all sides. Extension of the Mosque took place in 1915, and the minaret was retained. Over the years, the Mosque had taken in poor disciples and offered them shelters in the vicinity.
Kowloon Union ChurchFounded by the London Missionary Society, Kowloon Union Church was the first non-denominational church in Kowloon established in 1931. During the Japanese Occupation, the Church was closed and converted into the stable of the Japanese Army. In 1947, the Church resumed its religious service and underwent a large-scale renovation. Rev. Carl T. Smith, a famous historian in Hong Kong, is one of the parishioners of the Church.
Ladder StreetLadder Street, stretching from Queen’s Road Central to Caine Road, was built in 1841 to 1850. With the prosperous commercial activity in Sheung Wan and Sai Ying Poon, many Chinese moved into the tenement buildings near Ladder Street. The street played an important role in connecting Central district and the Peak area. There was also an Indian community at Upper Lascar Row near Ladder Street. Many historical buildings are situated along Ladder Street, including the Hong Kong Museum of Medical Sciences, Chinese Y.M.C.A. of Hong Kong and Man Mo Temple.
No. 172-176 Queen's Road CentralNo. 172 Queens’s Road Central was the first store of The Sincere & Co., Ltd. which commenced operation in Hong Kong on 8 January 1900. The Sincere & Co., Ltd. was founded by an Australian Chinese Ma Ying-piu who purchased the building in 1899 for the eventual opening of the store. The facade of No. 174-176 building facing Queen’s Road Central is very typical of the arcaded verandah type shophouses of a hundred years ago. Their classical design is reminiscent of the grander colonial style buildings in Central of those days.
Office of Former Chief ExecutivesThe site of No. 28 Kennedy Road was first sold to the Hong Kong Land Investment & Co. in 1896. Together with the adjacent No.26, the Queen's College used the premises as temporary school in 1948 until 1950 when the College moved. In 1950, the premises was taken over by the Custodian of Property of the Japanese. It was surrendered to the Hong Kong Government in 1954. From 1961 to 1989, the premises was shared by the Education Department and Kennedy Road Junior School. It was held as “Custodian Property” since 1980 and served as one of the meeting places of the Joint Sino-British Coordinating Committee in the 1990s. It later becomes the Office of the Former Chief Executives of the HKSAR.
Old Bank of China BuildingBank of China Building was once the tallest building in Hong Kong equipped with the most advanced building services. The building lot was auctioned in 1947 when Zheng Tie-ru, the branch manager of the bank, acquired the lot at the then enormous price of $3,745,000. In 1951, the Branch moved into the new 17-storey premises. The Bank occupied the premises for almost 40 years before moving into the Bank of China Tower, which majestically stands at No. 1 Garden Road. The ground floor of the old Bank of China Building continued to function as the Central District Branch until1997 and was then occupied by Sin Hua Bank Limited Hong Kong Branch in 1998. Following the merging of the Bank of China's member banks in 2001, the Sin Hua Bank Ltd. Hong Kong Branch) was renamed as Bank of China (Hong Kong) Central District Branch.
Old Central Government OfficesThe three buildings in the former Central Government Offices (CGO) Complex are all post-war buildings built in three phases with the East Wing completed in 1954; the Main Wing and Legislative Council Chamber in 1956; and the West Wing in 1959. A new Annexe was added to Main Wing in 1989 after the relocation of the Legislative Council to the former Supreme Court Building in 1985. The West Wing at the Lower Albert Road level underwent a major transformation in 1998. The CGO buildings are low-rise structures, situated in a well-wooded setting. They display the characteristics of the functionalist style of architecture, prevalent during the early to mid-20th century.
Pak Tai Temple (Yuk Hui Temple)Built by the local residents in 1863, Yuk Hui Temple was dedicated to Pak Tai, God of the North, is also known as Yuen Tin Sheung Tai, the Supreme Emperor of the Dark Heaven. Pak Tai was regarded as a deity for the assurance of fishermen's safety. It was said that the copper snake and tortoise under the statue's feet were once stolen during the Japanese Occupation (1941-1945). The temple celebrates the Pak Tai Festival and the Feast of ‘Awakening from Hibernation’, when people come to pray for diving out the insects.
Pottinger Street (Stone Slabs Street)Pottinger Street was named after the first Governor, Sir Henry Pottinger. He left Hong Kong in May 1844. After his departure, the Hong Kong Government decided to commemorate him by naming the street after him. As the street is covered by stone slabs, many locals also call this street Sek Ban Street (meaning Stone Slab Street). The Street was probably built for the easy transportation of goods and construction materials for the Victoria Prison and Central Magistracy nearby. Also, situated in a busy commercial area, the Street has attracted traders to set up their shops and stalls along the Street.
Rosary ChurchRosary Church, the oldest Catholic church in Kowloon, was established in 1905 by the Hong Kong Catholic Mission. It was set up originally to serve the expanding catholic community in Tsim Sha Tsui which comprised mainly English, Portuguese and Indians, some of them were military officers stationed in Hong Kong after the1901 Boxer Uprising. The Church was spared by the Japanese during their invasion in 1941 because it was led by an Italian priest. The Church community has become predominantly Chinese today and is active in the Kowloon area leading a large number of catholic associations.
St Andrew's ChurchThe St. Andrew Church was built in 1906 as a gathering place for the English-speaking diocese in Kowloon. It was established with the donation of Sir Paul Chater (1846-1926) on a grant of crown land. The Old Vicarage was added in 1909, followed by the Amah's Quarters and the Caretaker's Quarters in the early 1910s. The Church was occupied by the Japanese in 1941 and was turned into a Shinto shrine. Church services resumed after the War and in 1978 the new St. Andrew's Christian Centre was built.
St Paul's Co-educational CollegeThe building at No. 26 Kennedy Road was constructed by donations from Japanese companies in Hong Kong. In around 1935, the Japanese Primary School (Hong Kong), which was located at No. 12 Kennedy Road, was moved to No. 26 Kennedy Road where a new building containing one auditorium, four teachers’ quarters and six classrooms was constructed. After the Second World War, the building was respectively occupied by the Queen’s College, the Government Vernacular Senior Middle School, the Kennedy Road Junior School, and the Hong Kong International School. Since 1999, it has been run as the St. Paul’s Co-Educational (Kennedy Road) Primary School.
St. Paul's ChurchLocated at the hillock known as Tit Kong (Iron Mound), St. Paul's Church was erected in 1911 serving as a chapel upstairs and classrooms downstairs. Its founding emanated from the joint efforts of Lam Woo, Huang Mou-lin, Li Wei-zhen and the Rev.A.D. Stewart. In 1938, St. Paul's Church Parish was put under the direct control of the Anglican Church of Hong Kong. During the Japanese Occupation, the building was used as a training school for Japanese gendarmes. The land where the Church stands was a free grant to the Rev. Vincent J. Stanton and is the only plot of land in Hong Kong exempted from government lease control.
The HK Catholic Cathedral of Immaculate ConceptionBuilt in 1888, the Hong Kong Catholic Cathedral of The Immaculate Conception, also known as the Roman Catholic Cathedral, was initiated by Most Rev. T. Raimondi, first Bishop of Hong Kong. Most of the Chinese parishioners even call it as “Tai Tong” meaning the “leading place of worship”. During the Japanese Occupation, a bomb dropped by the Japanese badly destroyed the Church in 1941. The Church Bell was also taken for manufacturing arms and ammunitions. Urgent repairs were carried out after the end of the War. In 1958, the Catholic Centre, a five-storey community centre, was built next to the Cathedral.
The Lands TribunalThe building has been used as the Lands Tribunal now was constructed in 1936. It was The old South Kowloon District Court, first known as the Kowloon Magistracy, to handle minor criminal cases at the magistrate's level such as illegal hawker operation. During the Japanese occupation of 1941-1945, the building was used as the Kempeitai headquarters in Kowloon. It was renamed the South Kowloon District Court in 1957. It remained in use as a District Court until 1986 when it became the Judiciary Central File Repository.
The Peninsula HotelThe Peninsula Hotel was completed in 1927 and had its grand opening in 1928. It quickly became the popular gathering place in Kowloon for rich merchants and social elites. On 25 December 1941, Hong Kong fell into the Japanese hands after 18 days of fighting. The Hong Kong Governor Sir Mark Young signed the Instrument of Surrender in the Peninsula Hotel. Lieutenant-General Sakai then used the Hotel as a temporary headquarters for the Japanese administration for two months. Lieutenant-General Rensuke Isogai, the Governor of Hong Kong during the Japanese occupation also stayed in the Hotel between February and April 1942 before the conversion of the Government House was completed. The Hotel resumed business in April 1942 and renamed “The Toa Hotel” (East Asia Hotel). The Hotel resumed its old name after the War, and carried out a number of renovation and extension works in the 1960s, 1987 and 1995.
Tin Hau Temple, Temple StreetSuggested by the inscription on the stone lions at the entrance, Tin Hau Temple was built probably one hundred years ago. It is the largest temple in Kowloon, comprising of Shing Wong Temple, Fook Tak Temple and Shea Tan. Being part of the Temples, the Hsu Yuen (study hall) is the place of education. With the financial support from the temple, the school offered free education since 1897 until its closing down in 1955. The Temples were initially managed by fishermen and land dwellers, and later by a committee formed by merchants. The temple has been under the management of the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals since 1928.
Tung Wah Hospital, Main BlockThe construction of Tung Wah Hospital started in 1870 and completed in 1872. The name of Tung Wah was meant to be “the Chinese people of Guangdong province”. The hospital was to take up the work of Kwong Fook I Tsz, which admitted poor, sick Chinese. As the hospital at Po Yan Street could not meet with the growing demand, the hospital was redeveloped in 1933. The construction of the main block was completed in 1934. It is the oldest charitable hospital in Hong Kong.
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