The City of Victoria,
often called Victoria City or simply Victoria, was the ''
de facto
''De facto'' ( ; , "in fact") describes practices that exist in reality, whether or not they are officially recognized by laws or other formal norms. It is commonly used to refer to what happens in practice, in contrast with '' de jure'' ("by l ...
'' capital of
Hong Kong
Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a List of cities in China, city and Special administrative regions of China, special ...
during
its time as a British dependent territory. It was initially named Queenstown but was soon known as Victoria. It was one of the first urban settlements in Hong Kong and its boundaries are recorded in the Laws of Hong Kong. All government bureaux and many key departments still have their head offices located within its limit.
Present-day
Central
Central is an adjective usually referring to being in the center of some place or (mathematical) object.
Central may also refer to:
Directions and generalised locations
* Central Africa, a region in the centre of Africa continent, also known a ...
is at the heart of Victoria City. Although the city expanded over much of what is now
Kennedy Town
Kennedy Town is at the western end of Sai Wan on Hong Kong Island in Hong Kong. It was named after Arthur Edward Kennedy, the 7th Governor of Hong Kong from 1872 to 1877. Administratively, it is part of Central and Western District.
Due to i ...
,
Shek Tong Tsui,
Lung Fu Shan,
Sai Ying Pun,
Sheung Wan
Sheung Wan is an area in Hong Kong, located in the north-west of Hong Kong Island, between Central and Sai Ying Pun. Administratively, it is part of the Central and Western District. The name can be variously interpreted as ''Upper Dis ...
,
Wan Chai
Wan Chai is situated at the western part of the Wan Chai District on the northern shore of Hong Kong Island, in Hong Kong. Its other boundaries are Canal Road to the east, Arsenal Street to the west and Bowen Road to the south. The area n ...
,
Happy Valley, the
Mid-Levels
Mid-Levels is an affluent residential area on Hong Kong Island in Hong Kong. It is located between Victoria Peak and Central. Residents are predominantly more affluent Hong Kong locals and expatriate professionals.
The Mid-Levels is furth ...
,
East Point and parts of
Causeway Bay
Causeway Bay is an area and a bay on Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong, straddling the border of the Eastern and the Wan Chai districts. It is a major shopping, leisure and cultural centre in Hong Kong, with a number of major shopping centres. Th ...
, the name ''Victoria'' has been eclipsed by ''Central'' in popular usage. However, the name is still used in places such as
Victoria Park,
Victoria Peak,
Victoria Harbour
Victoria Harbour is a natural landform harbor, harbour in Hong Kong separating Hong Kong Island in the south from the Kowloon Peninsula to the north. The harbour's deep, sheltered waters and strategic location on South China Sea were instrume ...
,
Victoria Prison
Victoria Prison, was the first and longest-running prison to date in Hong Kong. It is located on Old Bailey Street in Central, Hong Kong Island. Named in honour of Queen Victoria, it was originally known as Victoria Gaol and was renamed into ...
, and
a number of roads and streets. It is also retained in the names of various organisations such as the Victoria City District of the
Hong Kong Scout, and the Victoria Junior Chamber. The name Victoria District Court had been used into the 1980s, when it was moved to the
Wanchai Tower and combined with other
district courts in the territory.
History
In 1857, the British government expanded the scope of Victoria City and divided it into four ''wans'' (). The four ''wans'' are ''Sai Wan'' ("West Ring" in Chinese, present-day
Sai Wan, including
Kennedy Town
Kennedy Town is at the western end of Sai Wan on Hong Kong Island in Hong Kong. It was named after Arthur Edward Kennedy, the 7th Governor of Hong Kong from 1872 to 1877. Administratively, it is part of Central and Western District.
Due to i ...
,
Shek Tong Tsui, and
Sai Ying Pun), ''Sheung Wan'' ("Upper Ring" in Chinese, present-day
Sheung Wan
Sheung Wan is an area in Hong Kong, located in the north-west of Hong Kong Island, between Central and Sai Ying Pun. Administratively, it is part of the Central and Western District. The name can be variously interpreted as ''Upper Dis ...
), ''Choong Wan'' or ''Chung Wan'' ("Central Ring" in Chinese, present-day
Central
Central is an adjective usually referring to being in the center of some place or (mathematical) object.
Central may also refer to:
Directions and generalised locations
* Central Africa, a region in the centre of Africa continent, also known a ...
) and ''Ha Wan'' ("Lower Ring" in Chinese, present-day
Wan Chai
Wan Chai is situated at the western part of the Wan Chai District on the northern shore of Hong Kong Island, in Hong Kong. Its other boundaries are Canal Road to the east, Arsenal Street to the west and Bowen Road to the south. The area n ...
). "Sai Wan", "Sheung Wan" and "Choong Wan" retain the same name in Chinese today.
The four ''wans'' are further divided into nine ''yeuks'' (, similar to "district" or "neighbourhood"). The coverage also included parts of
East Point and
Happy Valley (West of Wong Nai Chung Road on the east side of
the racecourse
The Racecourse is an open area on the River Wear in Durham, England of total that has been used as a sports ground since at least 1733. It forms part of Durham University's sports facilities as well as hosting local sports clubs. The Racecours ...
). In 1903, boundary stones were established to mark the city's boundary and six of them are still preserved today. The stones spread from
Causeway Bay
Causeway Bay is an area and a bay on Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong, straddling the border of the Eastern and the Wan Chai districts. It is a major shopping, leisure and cultural centre in Hong Kong, with a number of major shopping centres. Th ...
to Kennedy Town.
In the 1890s, Victoria extended four miles west to east along the coastal strip. Buildings were made of
granite
Granite () is a coarse-grained ( phaneritic) intrusive igneous rock composed mostly of quartz, alkali feldspar, and plagioclase. It forms from magma with a high content of silica and alkali metal oxides that slowly cools and solidifies un ...
and brick. Buses and
the new tramway would become the main form of transportation in the area.
The city is centred in present-day Central, and named after
Queen Victoria
Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 216 days was longer than that of any previ ...
in 1843. It occupies the areas known in modern times as Central,
Admiralty
Admiralty most often refers to:
*Admiralty, Hong Kong
*Admiralty (United Kingdom), military department in command of the Royal Navy from 1707 to 1964
*The rank of admiral
*Admiralty law
Admiralty can also refer to:
Buildings
* Admiralty, Traf ...
, Sheung Wan, Wan Chai,
East Point, Shek Tong Tsui, the
Mid-levels
Mid-Levels is an affluent residential area on Hong Kong Island in Hong Kong. It is located between Victoria Peak and Central. Residents are predominantly more affluent Hong Kong locals and expatriate professionals.
The Mid-Levels is furth ...
,
the Peak, Happy Valley,
Tin Hau, and Kennedy Town, on
Hong Kong Island
Hong Kong Island is an island in the southern part of Hong Kong. Known colloquially and on road signs simply as Hong Kong, the island has a population of 1,289,500 and its population density is 16,390/km2, . The island had a population of a ...
.
Boundaries
The city boundaries are defined in the laws of Hong Kong as follows:
*On the north –
The Harbour;
*On the west – A line running due north and south drawn through the north-west angle of Inland Lot No. 1299 and extending southwards a distance of 850 feet from the aforesaid angle;
*On the south – A line running due east from the southern extremity of the western boundary until it meets a contour in the vicinity of the
Hill above Belchers 700 feet above principal datum, that is to say, a level 17.833 feet below the bench-mark known as "Rifleman's Bolt", the highest point of a copper bolt set horizontally in the east wall of the Royal Navy Office and Mess Block Naval Dockyard, and thence following the said contour until it meets the eastern boundary;
*On the east – A line following the west side of the Government Pier, Bay View and thence along the west side of , then along the north side of Causeway Road to . Thence along the west side of Moreton Terrace to the south-east corner of Inland Lot No. 1580 and produced in a straight line for 80 feet, and thence along the north side of Cotton Path and produced until it meets the west side of
Wong Nei Chong Road on the east side of
Wong Nei Chong Valley and thence to the south-east angle of Inland Lot No. 1364, produced until it meets the southern boundary.
In 1903, the Hong Kong Government erected several boundary stones for the city, inscribed "City Boundary 1903" at locations including
Hatton Road,
Pok Fu Lam Road
Pok Fu Lam Road, or Pokfulam Road, is a four-lane road in Hong Kong. Built on Hong Kong Island, the road runs between Sai Ying Pun and Wah Fu, through Pok Fu Lam.
Description
It runs south from Sai Ying Pun, passing The University of Hong K ...
,
Bowen Road, Old Peak Road (),
Wong Nai Chung Road,
Victoria Road/Sai Ning Street () and
Magazine Gap Road. The one in Magazine Gap Road disappeared around mid-June 2007. Three additional boundary stones were rediscovered in 2021.
Districts
Also called ''yeuks''.
*
Kennedy Town, Hong Kong
*
Shektongtsui
*
Sai Ying Poon
Sai Ying Pun is an area in Western District, on Hong Kong Island, in Hong Kong. It is administratively part of the Central and Western District.
Etymology
In Cantonese, ''Sai'' () means "west" and ''Ying Pun'' () means "camp", especially a ...
*Taipingshan – a neighborhood near Sheung Wan that shared its name with
Victoria Peak
*
Sheung Wan
Sheung Wan is an area in Hong Kong, located in the north-west of Hong Kong Island, between Central and Sai Ying Pun. Administratively, it is part of the Central and Western District. The name can be variously interpreted as ''Upper Dis ...
*Choong Wan (known in modern times as
Central
Central is an adjective usually referring to being in the center of some place or (mathematical) object.
Central may also refer to:
Directions and generalised locations
* Central Africa, a region in the centre of Africa continent, also known a ...
in English)
*Ha Wan (today's
Admiralty
Admiralty most often refers to:
*Admiralty, Hong Kong
*Admiralty (United Kingdom), military department in command of the Royal Navy from 1707 to 1964
*The rank of admiral
*Admiralty law
Admiralty can also refer to:
Buildings
* Admiralty, Traf ...
)
*
Wan Chai
Wan Chai is situated at the western part of the Wan Chai District on the northern shore of Hong Kong Island, in Hong Kong. Its other boundaries are Canal Road to the east, Arsenal Street to the west and Bowen Road to the south. The area n ...
*
Bowrington (between today's
Wan Chai
Wan Chai is situated at the western part of the Wan Chai District on the northern shore of Hong Kong Island, in Hong Kong. Its other boundaries are Canal Road to the east, Arsenal Street to the west and Bowen Road to the south. The area n ...
and
Causeway Bay
Causeway Bay is an area and a bay on Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong, straddling the border of the Eastern and the Wan Chai districts. It is a major shopping, leisure and cultural centre in Hong Kong, with a number of major shopping centres. Th ...
; known also as Ngo Keng)
*
Soo Kun Po
*
Happy Valley
*
Causeway Bay
Causeway Bay is an area and a bay on Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong, straddling the border of the Eastern and the Wan Chai districts. It is a major shopping, leisure and cultural centre in Hong Kong, with a number of major shopping centres. Th ...
See also
*
History of Hong Kong
The region of Hong Kong has been inhabited since the Old Stone Age, later becoming part of the Chinese Empire with its loose incorporation into the Qin dynasty (221–206 BC). Starting out as a farming fishing village and salt production site, ...
*
List of buildings, sites and areas in Hong Kong
*
List of places named for Queen Victoria § Hong Kong, for a list of places named after Queen Victoria
*
Praya
References
External links
Boundary of the City of Victoria as defined in Hong Kong Laws Cap 1 SCHED 1 of Hong Kong Law
Article on history of Hong KongPhotos of the 1903 boundary stonesA article on the "four wans and nine yeuks" in Chinese(
Adobe
Adobe ( ; ) is a building material made from earth and organic materials. is Spanish for '' mudbrick''. In some English-speaking regions of Spanish heritage, such as the Southwestern United States, the term is used to refer to any kind of ...
PDF
Portable Document Format (PDF), standardized as ISO 32000, is a file format developed by Adobe in 1992 to present documents, including text formatting and images, in a manner independent of application software, hardware, and operating systems. ...
format)
Another article on "four wans and nine yeuks"A photographic panorama of the water-front and city of Victoria taken sometime after 1906, in
Cambridge Digital Library
{{Coord, 22, 16, 42, N, 114, 10, 28, E, region:CN-91_type:city(1063646)_source:dewiki, display=title
Central, Hong Kong
Central and Western District, Hong Kong
Hong Kong Island
Populated coastal places in Hong Kong
Populated places established in 1842
1842 establishments in Hong Kong
Populated places in Hong Kong