Kowloon Walled City Park

For quite some time I have been wanting to go see Kowloon Walled City Park. Originally this area was a Chinese military fort dating to the Song Dynasty. When the New Territories were leased to Britain in 1898, the walled city was exempted and not under British rule. At the time it housed about 700 citizens but over the years it grew to house 33,000 residents in a 6.5 acre area controlled by the Triads. It was a haven for prostitution, gambling and drug use. In 1987, the Hong Kong government stepped in and began evicting the residents, demolishing the walled city and building a park. It opened in December 1995.

Much of the park is new, but there are remnants of the original walled city to be found. We entered through the South gate and found the foundation of the originals gate and remnants of a large tablet. From this vantage point we could also get a peek at the mountain pavilion.

Original cannons are located outside the Yamen which is the only remaining old building and houses an exhibition on the Walled City and the building of the Park.

The remainder of the park is divided into various pavilions, gardens and walks. It is a lovely place to wander.

Before exiting, there is a display showing the density of the area before it was torn down. It is difficult to imagine so many people living in this quiet and peaceful tract of land.