Hong Kong City Hall — Attraction in Hong Kong

Opened in 1962, the Hong Kong City Hall is the first multi-purpose cultural complex ever built for the community of Hong Kong. Occupying an area of 11 000 square metres on the reclaimed seafront of Edinburgh Place, Central, the City Hall was declared a monument on 20 May 2022 and is protected under the Antiquities and Monuments Ordinance. Its major facilities, including a Concert Hall renowned for its outstanding acoustics, a Theatre well-received by professional theatre groups, as well as an Exhibition Hall capturing view of the Victoria Harbour, are housed in the Low Block. Other minor facilities, such as the Recital Hall, the Exhibition Gallery and the Committee Rooms, which are located in the High Block, are suitable for holding different kinds of events on a small scale. The old City Hall, built by public contributions in 1869, was a two - storey building with European style colonnades and archways. The building was totally demolished in 1947. During the post-war reconstruction, the idea of rebuilding the City Hall was nurtured due to an imminent need for the revival of culture. The building complex subsequently erected at the present site based on the original design by Professor Gordon Brown, the first Head of Department of Architecture of Hong Kong University, together with his team including Patricia O'Reilly Mayne, was completed by British architects Ronald Phillips and Alan Fitch at the cost of HK$20 million. Its opening ceremony was officiated by Sir Robert Black, the then Governor of Hong Kong, on 2 March 1962. The complex comprises two buildings (High Block and Low Block) and a memorial garden. Its Modernist style with clean lines is a bold deviation from the magnificent Renaissance style of the old City Hall. It has not only greatly enhanced the status of the architectural profession in Hong Kong, but has also taken on the role of popularising arts activities in Hong Kong, promoting eastern and western cultures, as well as expanding the parameters of community activities. The Old City Hall...

Hong Kong Island  is an island in the southern part of Hong Kong. It has a population of 1,289,500 and its population density is 16,390/km2,[1] as of 2008. The island had a population of about 3,000 inhabitants scattered in a dozen fishing villages when it was occupied by the United Kingdom in the First Opium War (1839–1842). In 1842, the island was formally ceded in perpetuity to the UK under the Treaty of Nanking and the City of Victoria was then established on the island by the British Force in honour of Queen Victoria. The Central area on the island is the historical, political and economic centre of Hong Kong. The northern coast of the island forms the southern shore of the Victoria Harbour, which is largely responsible for the development of Hong Kong due to its deep waters favoured by large trade ships. The island is home to many of the most famous sights in Hong Kong, such as "The Peak", Ocean Park, many historical sites and various large shopping centres. The mountain ranges across the island are also famous for hiking. The northern part of Hong Kong Island, together with Kowloon and Tsuen Wan New Town, forms the core urban area of Hong Kong. Their combined area is approximately 88.3 square kilometres (34.1 square miles) and their combined population (that of the northern part of the island and of Kowloon) is approximately 3,156,500, reflecting a population density of...

The second and current City Hall complex has two buildings, a garden and a three-storey car park.

City Hall Memorial Garden enclosing the World War II (1941–1945) Memorial Shrine

The High Block, a 12-storey building, is in the south-western end and houses a number of government facilities, including:

City Hall Public Library, an eight-storey facility, which in the past served as the central library of Hong Kong (on the 9th – 11th floors) Exhibition Gallery, 260 square feet (24 m2). Recital Hall with 111-seats. Committee Rooms: two 40-seat committee rooms (on the 7th floor) Marriage Registry (on the 1st floor) Fast food restaurant, managed by Maxim's Catering: MX The 3-storey Low Block is at the eastern end, with the following facilities:

Concert Hall, with 1,434 seats and 60 standees at the mezzanine level. Restaurants and a cafe, managed by Maxim's Catering: continental (Deli and Wine), Chinese (City Hall Maxim's Palace) and European (City Hall Maxim's Café) cuisines The URBTIX Box Office Exhibition Hall, 590-square metres. Theatre with 463 seats. Performing Arts Shop an...