Kowloon Walled City Park

"In the early 1800s, a small fortress was built at the strategic beachhead on the Kowloon Peninsula. When the British began to occupy Hong Kong in 1841, the fortress became vital to China’s maritime defenses and so was greatly expanded. Soon a thick stone wall and watchtowers were added, and inside, a number of military buildings and soldiers quarters enlarged the fortified city even more. Though most of the complex has beendestroyed or demolished over the decades, a few sections have survived, including the foundation of a former wall, remnantsof the South and East Gates, and a flagstone path. A handful of relics have been recovered—from cannons to stone lintels—and are displayed in a Qing Dynasty Jiangnan-style garden park created on the site."

"This colourful part of Hong Kong was demolished in 1994 and built in its place is an urban oasis modelled after the Jiangnan gardens of the early Qing Dynasty. Remnants from the military fort, including old wells and cannons, can still be found inside the park."

"Those fascinated by the history of the Walled City—and what it might have been like to live there—will enjoy a visit to the peaceful Kowloon Walled City Park, where they can peruse the remaining artifacts and explanatory plaques telling the story of what was once one of the world’s largest slums. Everyone else will enjoy the fresh air, bamboo groves, pavilions, Qing Dynasty–style Chinese gates, flower gardens, and pretty ponds. Ironically, this is now one of the most pleasant corners in Hong Kong." - Kate Springer