Signal Hill Signal Tower — Attraction in Hong Kong

The Signal Tower is a historic building directly associated with Hong Kong’s naval and shipping history. It is located up a rather steep hill that requires a 3-5 minute climb on a paved footpath, accessed off Minden Row, behind The Yacht Club in Tsim Sha Tsui.

The tower used to house a bell that would drop during the day to help navigators and ship captains to synchronize their watches and clocks. The tower has been restored and can be visited from 10-12am and 4-6pm. However, the ball that once dropped is not here. There is a windy staircase inside, leading up two flights of stairs. Two levels offer decent views out into the harbour but there are now trees on the hill that obstruct the views, wouldn't have been the case a century ago. There is one picture inside the small tower of what it looked like in the early 20th century.

On the hill there is also a small Chinese pavilion, a public toilet and some park benches to have a seat. There is also the remains of a cannon battlement, which has been cleared out and fenced off for some time, leaving little to see.

Overall, the walk up to Signal Hill is steep and there is little to see here. Views are quite obstructed and if air quality conditions are poor, there is very little reason to invest your time trying to find this place. Even on clear days, there are still better places to find in Hong Kong for views of the harbour and Hong Kong Skyline. Only if you have a particular interest in naval or shipping history, will you find this a place worth visiting. Those also interested in finding Hong Kong’s declared heritage buildings might also be interested in a...

Open hour on weekdays 9 to 11 am and 4 to 6 pm. This signal tower (訊號塔) was built in 1907 at Signal Hill, also known as Blackhead Hill (黑頭山) or Tai Pau Mei (大包米), to house a time-ball apparatus previously located in the nearby Marine Police Headquarters. From 1908 to 1920, the time ball dropped once daily except Sundays and government holidays. Precisely at 1 pm every day, a large hollow copper ball suspended on the top of the Tower was released and dropped to the foot of the mast to enable sailors to check the chronometers of the ships.

During World War II, the Tower was used as a temporary ammunition store and was gradually abandoned. By 1958, the War Department surrendered its claim to Signal Hill. In 1980 Signal Hill opened as a public garden.

Signal Tower was built as a three-storey red-brick building 12.8 metres high and was increased by a further 6.1 metres in 1927. The plan of the Tower is square with indented chamfered corners. The architectural style is Edwardian Baroque displaying lavish granite dressings against the red brickwork. Architectural features include a granite plinth, band course, moulded projecting cornices, pedimented entrance and Gibbs surrounds to windows. Round bull’s-eye and arched windows are featured in the top portion of the Tower which is fitted with a green dome, cat ladder and mast. The interior is simple with virtually no architectural details. The walls are plain, plastered and white-washed. A concrete and steel spiral staircase is the...

The Signal Tower in Tsim Sha Tsui has an inseverable relationship with the Former Marine Police Headquarters (now 1881 Heritage). The Signal Tower served the role of time telling for the marine traffic of the Victoria Harbour during the early 20th century. The time ball located within the tower was the very original one that was placed in the Round House (Time Ball Tower) of the Former Marine Police Headquarters (now 1881 Heritage).“The time-ball service was crucial for mariners for the purpose of setting their chronometers before the advent of reliable radio broadcasting.” The Time Ball Tower of the Former Marine Police Headquarters served this function between 1885 and 1907. However, due to the developments around the Former Marine Police Headquarters, it was thought that another location must be sought for the purpose of telling accurate time. The small hill of Blackhead Point was thought to be appropriate as it has a...