Even though the slum that made the place famous was demolished and remodeled as an ancient chinese garden in the 1990s, every year thousands of tourists still came to the site for the monuments and exhibitions that talk about the gone city. Hong kong s kowloon walled city was the densest place on the planet before it was torn down 20 years ago. This place was a military station of qing dynasty hundreds of years ago. It was known for its interconnected highrises and as being a crime haven since it was left alone by authorities. Welcome to kowloon walled city, one of the most misunderstood. The life and death of an impossible city kickstarter. In 1841, when hong kong island was ceded to britain, kowloon walled city was already a garrison and was reinforced by the chinese government.
Visit the garrison that became known for crime and debauchery at kowloon walled city park. Kowloon walled city, an island of illrepute in hong kong that grew out of a technicality in a treaty between two empires was lost forever in 1994, torn down and replaced by a. Wherever you go, in hong kong or around the world, we have you covered. Drone photos of kowloon walled city give new perspective. Pictures of kowloon walled city hong wrong hong kong. Remnants of the most densely packed city in world history, that thrived on anarchy for 30 years. Kowloon walled city park hong kong 2020 all you need.
Kowloon walled city was located in kowloon city, hong kong, and it spans just 6. At its peak, it was estimated to have 50,000 residents giving it a population density almost 120 times greater than new york city. Visit kowloon walled city park on your trip to hong kong. How hong kongs vertical village came to be point of view april 2014 week looking at vertical cities from a different view. Originally a chinese military fort, the walled city became part of a territory after the new territories was leased to the uk by china in 1898. The walled city was in theory an enclave of the chinese government throughout british colonial period in hong kong. Having lost the small pamphlet on the kowloon walled city that i had bought at the hong kong art museum many years ago, i did a web search to see if there was anything available to replace it. The lost kowloon walled city in hong kong as represented in video games. The lost kowloon walled city in hong kong as represented. May 07, 2012 the walled city was torn down in 1992 but the photographs, oral histories, maps and essays in our book provide the most thorough record of daily life in a place that was a true hong kong original. The convention for the extension of hong kong territory of 1898 handed the new territories over to britain for 99 years, but excluded the walled city which, by then, had a population of around 700. The site occupies a strategic point along the kowloon peninsula and has been used by chinese imperial officials since the 16 th century.
Kowloon walled city park hong kong 2020 what to know. That lets you find the top rated hotels near hong kong for your visit and puts you close to the areas top restaurants and attractions. In this wall street journal interactive, you can take a trip through the city, explore its history and hear from the people who lived there. Before kowloon walled city was demolished in 1994, its 300.
At a later stage, due to historical events such as the occupation by british army, confrontation between china and britain or the japanese occupation, the walled city became a place that is not governed by the british nor the chinese. Due to the historical reasons, the area of kowloon walled city was not included in colonial range and maintained unsupervised for a long time since the late of 19 th century. Greg girard between the 1950s and mid1990s, tens of thousands of immigrants constructed a towering community 12 stories high across a 6. This fascinating city within hong kong was lawless for decades. Mar 22, 2018 25 years ago in march, bulldozers moved in to tear down the kowloon walled city, a condemned slum area that now evokes fascination and revulsion in hong kongs collective memory. Kowloon walled city was a densely populated, ungoverned settlement in kowloon, an area north of hong kong island. There are very few places on earth that remain ungoverned, and even the tiniest islands and city states tend to have rules in place for things like taxation and citizenship. There are very few places on earth that remain ungoverned, and even the tiniest islands and citystates tend to have rules in place for things like taxation and citizenship. Photographer andy yeung gives us a new series of drone photos, this time taking in the densely packed kowloon walled city in hong kong. Hong kongs infamous kowloon walled city rebuilt as amusement.
To the north of kowloon city is the kowloon walled city park. The incredible story of the lawless enclave inside hong kong penny watson for full functionality of this site it is necessary to enable javascript. City of darkness revisited is a photo book and cultural history of kowloon walled city, a largely ungoverned, densely populated enclave within hong kong. Kowloon walled city park a beautiful little park to visit in hong kong, with its pavillions, ponds and flowers. Hong kongs legendary citywithinacity lived on in an arcade in japan, but now its gone too. Was really interesting to learn about its history, once being a self governed high rise shanty town houisng over 41,000 people, before its demolition in 1993. Visit kowloon walled city park on your trip to hong kong or china. Dec 04, 2019 hong kongs legendary citywithinacity lived on in an arcade in japan, but now its gone too. May 05, 2012 inside the kowloon walled city where 50,000 residents eked out a grimy living in the most densely populated place on earth. Kowloon walled city was home to 50,000 residents and was controversial since 1898, when it was the only part of hong kong, which the imperial chinese government refused to hand over to the british. A rare insight into kowloon walled city daily mail online.
The attraction occupies the site of the former kowloon walled city, a unique peninsula garrison that remained under chinas jurisdiction until hong kong was ceded to britain. Kowloon walled city in hong kong was 119 times as dense as. In 1841, when hong kong island was ceded to britain, kowloon walled city. Even though the slum that made the place famous was demolished and remodeled as an ancient chinese garden called kowloon walled city park in the 1990s, every year thousands of tourists still came to the site for the monuments and exhibitions that talk about the gone city. Goodbye to japans homage to hong kongs kowloon walled city. Kowloon walled city was people lived and worked in kowloon walled city in hong kong. Life in kowloon walled city, first hit bookshelves in april of 1993, shortly after demolition began on the settlement. Originally a military fort, the walled city saw its population rise dramatically during the second world war. Originally a military fort, the walled city saw its population rise dramatically during the. Kowloon walled city photos from inside hong kong news. Before it was demolished in the mid90s, hong kongs kowloon walled city.
Restaurants near kowloon walled city park, hong kong on tripadvisor. Kowloon walled city was an ungoverned, densely populated settlement in kowloon city, hong kong. Mar 31, 2020 kowloon walled city, an island of illrepute in hong kong that grew out of a technicality in a treaty between two empires was lost forever in 1994, torn down and replaced by a park. Kowloon walled city park hong kong 2020 all you need to. The lost kowloon walled city in hong kong as represented in. Kowloon walled city was a former chinese military fort turned into largely ungoverned settlement in kowloon, hong kong. When hong kongs kowloon walled city was razed in the late 1980s, it was an infamously untouchable haven for drugs, crime, and prostitutiona place few locals would dare to visit. Bbc footage from inside the walled city at the time 1980 good footage. Kowloon walled city was a largely ungoverned, densely populated settlement in kowloon city, hong kong. City of darkness seemed to be the best choice, although expensive, so i bought it and hoped.
Inside the kowloon walled city where 50,000 residents eked out a grimy living in the most densely populated place on earth. By 1988, they added emmy lung, a recent graduate from hong kong university, to their team, and she embarked on a series of interviews with the citys residents. Pictures of kowloon walled city hong wrong hong kong news. The convention for the extension of hong kong territory of 1898 handed the new territories over to britain for 99 years, but excluded the walled city which, by then, had a population of around 700 1898 the year britain took control of the new territories. Hong kongs infamous kowloon walled city rebuilt as. Restaurants near kowloon walled city park, hong kong, china. Book your tickets online for kowloon walled city park, hong kong. Inside hong kongs lawless walled city the most crowded. The kowloon walled city was a singular hong kong phenomenon. Kowloon walled city park in the past the site of the kowloon walled city was a military outpost of the chinese government which had been used by imperial officials since the 15 th century or earlier. It was developed into a small coastal fort in 1810 and was improved in 1847 following the arrival of the british. Find hotels near kowloon walled city park, hong kong online. Nov 15, 2019 stunning photos of hong kongs kowloon walled city show life inside the crowded, lawless enclave before it was razed 25 years ago.
Hotels near kowloon walled city in hong kong, hong kong. Stunning photos of hong kongs kowloon walled city show. The walled city was torn down in 1992 but the photographs, oral histories, maps and essays in our book provide the most thorough record of daily life in a place that was a true hong kong original. Picture a colossal empire of little houses stacked on top of each other.
Kowloon walled city was an encircled city during the colonial period of hong kong which was built from 1843 to 1847. Dec 28, 2018 the lost kowloon walled city in hong kong as represented in video games. The kowloon walled city park is a little off the normal tourist trail in hong kong, but wellworth the taxi ride or 20 minute walk from lok fu mtr station. After japans surrender in 1945, china announced its intent to reclaim the walled city. The architecture of kowloon walled city, hong kong in light of the release of a second, revised edition of city of darkness the authorita. Kowloon walled city park hong kong all you need to.