Statue Square
Encyclopedia
Central, Hong Kong
Central is the central business district of Hong Kong. It is located in Central and Western District, on the north shore of Hong Kong Island, across Victoria Harbour from Tsim Sha Tsui, the southernmost point of Kowloon Peninsula...
, Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
.
History
The square was built at the end of the 19th century. The idea of a square of statues dedicated to royalty was conceived by Sir Catchick Paul Chater. It derives its name from the fact that it originally contained the statueStatue
A statue is a sculpture in the round representing a person or persons, an animal, an idea or an event, normally full-length, as opposed to a bust, and at least close to life-size, or larger...
of Queen Victoria
Victoria of the United Kingdom
Victoria was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India....
, as the square's name in Chinese testifies. Statues of Prince Albert, Edward VII
Edward VII of the United Kingdom
Edward VII was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910...
were added before 1902. The statue of Victoria was ordered to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of the monarch in 1887, should never have been made in bronze, but in marble, an error that wasn't picked up until the bronze statue was almost completed. A statue of Sir Thomas Jackson, 1st Baronet
Sir Thomas Jackson, 1st Baronet
Sir Thomas Jackson, 1st Baronet, was the chief manager of The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation. He was responsible for financing the development of Colonial Hong Kong under the first large scale bank.-Early years:...
, the chief manager of the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation
Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation
The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited is a prominent bank established and based in Hong Kong since 1865 when Hong Kong was a colony of the British Empire. It is the founding member of the HSBC Group and since 1990 is now a wholly owned subsidiary of HSBC Holdings plc...
was unveiled on 24 February 1906. These statues (except for the statue of Jackson), together with the two bronze
Bronze
Bronze is a metal alloy consisting primarily of copper, usually with tin as the main additive. It is hard and brittle, and it was particularly significant in antiquity, so much so that the Bronze Age was named after the metal...
lions in front of the HSBC
HSBC
HSBC Holdings plc is a global banking and financial services company headquartered in Canary Wharf, London, United Kingdom. it is the world's second-largest banking and financial services group and second-largest public company according to a composite measure by Forbes magazine...
building, were displaced to Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
to be melted by the occupying Japanese during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
After the war the statues were brought back to Hong Kong. Sir Thomas Jackson's now stands roughly in the middle of the square, facing the Former Supreme Court Building. Queen Victoria's statue was placed in Victoria Park
Victoria Park, Hong Kong
Victoria Park is a public park in Hong Kong, named after Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom. It is located in Causeway Bay, on the north of Hong Kong Island, between Causeway Bay and Tin Hau MTR stations...
. The two lions are now again in front of the HSBC building. The bronze statue of George V, also removed by the Japanese, was lost and never replaced after the war.
Since the 1980s, there has been a tradition for thousands of Filipina domestic workers
Foreign domestic helpers in Hong Kong
Foreign domestic helpers in Hong Kong are foreign domestic workers and housemaids employed by Hongkongers, typically families. They make up approximately 3% of the population of Hong Kong and an overwhelming majority of them are women...
to congregate in and around Statue Square every Sunday (their usual rest day of the week). A parallel tradition has since been developed in Victoria Park
Victoria Park, Hong Kong
Victoria Park is a public park in Hong Kong, named after Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom. It is located in Causeway Bay, on the north of Hong Kong Island, between Causeway Bay and Tin Hau MTR stations...
for Indonesian
Indonesians
Indonesians may be:*any nation or ethnic group of Indonesia**see Demographics of Indonesia**see Overseas Indonesians**see Ethnic groups in Indonesia**see Native Indonesians...
domestic servants in Hong Kong.
Surrounding buildings
The HSBC Hong Kong headquarters buildingHSBC Hong Kong headquarters building
The HSBC Main Building is a headquarters building of The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited in Central, Hong Kong. It is located along the southern side of Statue Square near the location of the old City Hall, Hong Kong . The previous HSBC building was built in 1935 and pulled down...
is located along its southern side. It stands at the location of the old City Hall
City Hall, Hong Kong
The Hong Kong City Hall is a building located at Edinburgh Place, Central, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong.Since Hong Kong does not designate itself or any part of itself as a city, there is no mayor or city council; therefore, the City Hall does not hold the offices of a city government, unlike most...
(built 1869, demolished 1933). The Former Supreme Court Building, now housing the Legislative Council
Legislative Council of Hong Kong
The Legislative Council is the unicameral legislature of Hong Kong.-History:The Legislative Council of Hong Kong was set up in 1843 as a colonial legislature under British rule...
is located along the eastern side of the square. On the western side were located several royal structures around the square:
- Prince's BuildingPrince's BuildingThe Prince's Building is an office tower and shopping centre located along Statue Square in Central, Hong Kong. Tenants include KPMG and PricewaterhouseCoopers.The name has been used for two structures in the same area....
1904-1963 - replaced by current Prince's Building (1965) - Queen's Building 1899-1961 - replaced by Mandarin Oriental, Hong KongMandarin Oriental, Hong KongMandarin Oriental, Hong Kong is a five-star hotel, located on Connaught Road in Central, Hong Kong, owned and managed by Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group. The hotel opened its doors in 1963 as “The Mandarin”, and quickly drew recognition for its service and elegance...
hotel (1963) - King's Building 1905-1958 - home to Marconi Wireless and now part of the footprint for Chater HouseChater HouseChater House is an office tower in Central, Hong Kong opened in 2003. It is a part of the Hongkong Land portfolio of properties. Its main tenant is JPMorgan, who have their Asia Pacific headquarters in the building...
- St George's Building 1904-1966 - home to Millington Limited and replaced by current St. George's Building office tower (1969)
- Alexandra Building 1904-1950; 1952-1974 - named for Princess of Wales, later Queen Alexandra - replaced by modernist Alexandra Building (1952-1974) and now Alexandra House (1976)
The square was initially bordered by Victoria Harbour
Victoria Harbour
Victoria Harbour is a natural landform harbour situated between Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon Peninsula in Hong Kong. The harbour's deep, sheltered waters and strategic location on the South China Sea were instrumental in Hong Kong's establishment as a British colony and its subsequent...
on its northern side, but following land reclamation
Land reclamation in Hong Kong
Land is in short supply in Hong Kong, and land reclamation has been conducted there since the mid-19th century.-Projects:One of the earliest and famous project was the Praya Reclamation Scheme, which added 50 to of land in 1890 during the second phase of construction...
, it is now separated from it by Edinburgh Place
Edinburgh Place
Edinburgh Place is a public square in Central, Hong Kong, adjacent to the Victoria Harbour. The Hong Kong City Hall is located in the square. In addition, the Edinburgh Place Ferry Pier and Queen's Pier were also located in the square before they were demolished in early 2007.-History:The...
, which houses the Star Ferry
Star Ferry
The Star Ferry, or The "Star" Ferry Company, is a passenger ferry service operator in Hong Kong. Its principal routes carry passengers across Victoria Harbour, between Hong Kong Island and Kowloon...
pier, among others.
See also
- List of buildings and structures in Hong Kong
- History of Hong KongHistory of Hong KongHong Kong began as a coastal island geographically located off the southern coast of China. While pockets of settlements had taken place in the region with archaeological findings dating back thousands of years, regular written records were not made...
- List of urban public parks and gardens of Hong Kong
- Morse ParkMorse ParkMorse Park , occupies 15.8 hectares, is an urban park located in Wong Tai Sin in Kowloon.It was competed in 1967. The Park was named after Sir Arthur Morse , the head of The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation during and after World War II.-History:The Hong Kong Golden Jubilee Jamborette ,...
, named after a HSBC banker
External links
- Antiquities and Monuments Office: Statue Square
- Alain Le Pichon, "In the Heart of Victoria: the Emergence of Hong Kong's Statue Square as a Symbol of Victorian Achievement", Revue LISA/LISA e-journal [Online], Vol. VII – n°3, 2009. Online since May 25, 2009. Retrieved August 15, 2011.