Victoria Peak is a hill on the western half of
Hong Kong Island. It is also known as Mount Austin, and locally as The Peak only generally. With an elevation of , it is the highest hill on Hong Kong Island, ranked 29 in terms of elevation in
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 city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delt ...
. It is a major tourist attraction offering views of
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 as ...
,
Victoria Harbour
Victoria Harbour is a natural landform 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 instrumental in ...
,
Lamma Island
Lamma Island, also known as Y Island or Pok Liu Chau or simply Pok Liu, is the third largest island in Hong Kong. Administratively, it is part of the Islands District.
Name
Lamma Island was named Lamma only because of a chart reading error by ...
and the surrounding islands.
The summit of Victoria Peak is occupied by a radio telecommunications facility and is closed to the public. The surrounding area of public parks, tourist facilities and high-value residential land is the area that is normally meant by the name ''The Peak''. ''The Peak'' also refers to Victoria Peak itself and its nearby areas, including
Victoria Gap
Victoria Gap () is an area and a mountain pass located between the summits of Victoria Peak (aka. Mount Austin) and Mount Gough, on Hong Kong Island, in Hong Kong. It is the most touristic place within the area referred to as '' The Peak'', ...
,
Mount Kellett
Mount Kellett () is a mountain on Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. It was likely named after British Royal Navy Vice Admiral Henry Kellett, the captain of HMS Starling in the 19th century.
A private hospital Matilda Hospital is located at the foot ...
and
Mount Gough
Mount Gough () is a peak on Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. It lies directly east of Victoria Peak and rises to a height of above Admiralty. It is named for Hugh Gough, 1st Viscount Gough, Commander-in-Chief of British Forces in China.
See also
*L ...
. Sometimes Bowen Hill may also be included.
History
As early as the 19th century, the Peak attracted prominent European residents because of its
panoramic view over the city and its
temperate climate
In geography, the temperate climates of Earth occur in the middle latitudes (23.5° to 66.5° N/S of Equator), which span between the tropics and the polar regions of Earth. These zones generally have wider temperature ranges throughout ...
compared to the
sub-tropical
The subtropical zones or subtropics are geographical and climate zones to the north and south of the tropics. Geographically part of the temperate zones of both hemispheres, they cover the middle latitudes from to approximately 35° north a ...
climate in the rest of Hong Kong. The sixth
Governor of Hong Kong
The governor of Hong Kong was the representative of the British Crown in Hong Kong from 1843 to 1997. In this capacity, the governor was president of the Executive Council and commander-in-chief of the British Forces Overseas Hong Kong. ...
,
Sir Richard MacDonnell had a summer residence built on the Peak circa 1868.
Those that built houses named them whimsically, such as The Eyrie, and the Austin Arms.
These original residents reached their homes by
sedan chairs
The litter is a class of wheelless vehicles, a type of human-powered transport, for the transport of people. Smaller litters may take the form of open chairs or beds carried by two or more carriers, some being enclosed for protection from the e ...
, which were carried up and down the steep slope of Victoria Peak. This limited development of the Peak until the opening of the
Peak Tram funicular
A funicular (, , ) is a type of cable railway system that connects points along a railway track laid on a steep slope. The system is characterized by two counterbalanced carriages (also called cars or trains) permanently attached to opposite e ...
in 1888.
The boost to accessibility caused by the opening of the Peak Tram created demand for residences on the Peak. Between 1904 and 1930, the Peak Reservation Ordinance designated the Peak as an exclusive residential area reserved for non-Chinese. They also reserved the Peak Tram for the use of such passengers during peak periods. The Peak remains an upmarket residential area, although residency today is based on wealth.
In 1905, construction of the Pinewood Battery
Pinewood Battery is a historic military site in Hong Kong, located above sea level, within Lung Fu Shan Country Park, in the northwestern part of Hong Kong Island.
History
Construction of the battery started in 1901 and finished in 1905. Duri ...
was completed on the western side of the Peak. Harlech Road
Harlech Road () is a road in Hong Kong. It is high up in the Peak area of Hong Kong Island, The road starts at Victoria Gap, then goes along the south slope of Victoria Peak, then crosses High West Gap, and goes along the north slope of Hig ...
was constructed around the Peak as a means of resupply to this artillery and later anti-aircraft battery.
During 1904 and 1947, Chinese people were not allowed to live on the Peak according to the Peak District Reservation Ordinance when Hong Kong was a colony. In the 1920s Robert Hotung
Sir Robert Ho Tung Bosman, (22 December 1862 – 26 April 1956), also known as Sir Robert Ho Tung, was a businessman and philanthropist in British Hong Kong. Known as "the grand old man of Hong Kong" (), he was knighted in 1915 (Knight Bache ...
was the first Chinese person to live on the Peak because at the time he was considered mixed-race. Ho Tung Gardens
Ho Tung Gardens, also known by its Cantonese name 'Hiu Kok Yuen', was a villa on the Peak, Hong Kong. It was built by Robert Hotung and his wife Clara in 1927. They referred to it as "The Falls", but it later became known as Ho Tung Gardens.
...
located at 75 Peak Road
Peak Road is a road in The Peak on Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. It is the only road to travel from Victoria Gap to Wan Chai Gap on Hong Kong Island. The Peak Road is a two-lane two-way traffic, which can take buses, minibuses and other vehic ...
, was owned by Robert Hotung
Sir Robert Ho Tung Bosman, (22 December 1862 – 26 April 1956), also known as Sir Robert Ho Tung, was a businessman and philanthropist in British Hong Kong. Known as "the grand old man of Hong Kong" (), he was knighted in 1915 (Knight Bache ...
for decades, until it was sold in 2015 for HK$5.1 billion or HK$82,258 per sq.ft.
Historically, apart from houses owned by the government, banks and corporations and lived by their officials and chairmen, the Peak also had some multi-block estates, with medium-sized flats used as housing for more junior staff. These are located on less prestigious streets, such as Guildford Road and Mount Kellett
Mount Kellett () is a mountain on Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. It was likely named after British Royal Navy Vice Admiral Henry Kellett, the captain of HMS Starling in the 19th century.
A private hospital Matilda Hospital is located at the foot ...
Road, which face Southside instead of Victoria Harbour
Victoria Harbour is a natural landform 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 instrumental in ...
.
In November 1996 businessman Wong Yuk Kwan
Wong may refer to:
Name
* Wong (surname), a Chinese surname
Places
* Wong Chuk Hang, an area to the east of Aberdeen on Hong Kong Island
* Wong Chuk Hang Estate, a public housing estate in Wong Chuk Hang, Hong Kong
* Wong Chuk Hang Road, a majo ...
paid HK$540 million for a house at 23 Severn Road called 'Genesis,' which was built in the 1980s by Heung Chi-kau. Another house Wong bought was 10-18 Pollock's Path, known as 'Skyhigh.' Owned by HSBC and lived by the bank's Chairmen, Skyhigh was sold to Kazuo Wada
was a Japanese businessman, the effective founder and chairman of the defunct multinational supermarket and department store chain Yaohan. He took over his parents' small grocery chain in the 1950s and spent the next four decades growing Yaohan ...
, the president of Yaohan
or ; ) was a Japanese retail group, founded in 1930 by and his wife . Initially a single shop, it was expanded by their son Kazuo Wada into a major supermarket chain with most retail outlets located in Shizuoka prefecture, south of Tokyo. It ...
, for HK$85 million in early 1990s. Because Yaohan
or ; ) was a Japanese retail group, founded in 1930 by and his wife . Initially a single shop, it was expanded by their son Kazuo Wada into a major supermarket chain with most retail outlets located in Shizuoka prefecture, south of Tokyo. It ...
went bankrupt, Kazuo Wada
was a Japanese businessman, the effective founder and chairman of the defunct multinational supermarket and department store chain Yaohan. He took over his parents' small grocery chain in the 1950s and spent the next four decades growing Yaohan ...
sold to businessman Wong Yuk Kwan
Wong may refer to:
Name
* Wong (surname), a Chinese surname
Places
* Wong Chuk Hang, an area to the east of Aberdeen on Hong Kong Island
* Wong Chuk Hang Estate, a public housing estate in Wong Chuk Hang, Hong Kong
* Wong Chuk Hang Road, a majo ...
for HK$370 million. In 2004, after SARS, actor Stephen Chow bought Skyhigh, and brought in Ryoden Development as a joint venture partner to rebuild the land into four houses. Genesis was sold by creditors in 2001 for HK$ 240m, less than 50% of what Wong Kwan paid.
These property transactions at the Peak were desperate sale by cash-strapped businessmen during economic crisis.
Changes in Neighbourhood
Some large houses on The Peak with historic values, including homes of consulates, and government buildings were demolished over the decades and redeveloped into smaller houses within managed complexes. In 2006, Sun Hung Kai Properties
Sun Hung Kai Properties Limited (SHKP; ) is a listed corporation and the largest property developer in Hong Kong as of 2019. The company is controlled by the Kwok family trust, largely the Kwok brothers. The Kwok family trust was set up by Kw ...
paid HK$1.8b, or 42,196 per sq.ft. through a government auction for a plot at 12 Mount Kellett
Mount Kellett () is a mountain on Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. It was likely named after British Royal Navy Vice Admiral Henry Kellett, the captain of HMS Starling in the 19th century.
A private hospital Matilda Hospital is located at the foot ...
Road, where there were blocks of flats as housing for medium-grade officials. In 2022, a house at the complex 'Twelve Peaks' at 12 Mount Kellett Road was sold by the creditors of HNA Chairman Chen Feng, whose business in mainland China was bankrupt, for HK$390m, or HK$91,959 per sq. ft. Chen Feng paid HK$ 506m in 2016 or HK$119,323 per sq.ft.
Despite record-breaking transactions reported by international news, In fact, The Peak is not the most expensive residential area in Hong Kong. Deep Water Bay
Deep Water Bay is a bay and residential area on the southern shore of Hong Kong Island in Hong Kong. The bay is surrounded by Shouson Hill, Brick Hill, Violet Hill and Middle Island. As per Forbes (July 2015), with 19 of the city's rich ...
and Jardine's Lookout
Jardine's Lookout () is a mountain in Wan Chai District, Hong Kong with a height of . It is located east of Happy Valley, south of Causeway Bay, and west of Braemar Hill and north of Tai Tam Country Park.
A low-density residential area call ...
are also one of the most expensive residential areas. A house at 75 Deep Water Bay Road, near Li Ka-shing's home, was sold by Pan Sutong
Pan Sutong JP, is a Hong Kong billionaire businessman. He is the founder of Matsunichi Digital Holdings Limited, and the chairman of Goldin Real Estate Financial Holdings Limited (also known as Goldin Group).
Biography
Pan Sutong was born in Sh ...
for HK$3.3b, or HK$240,000 per sq.ft., Cheung Chung-kiu
Cheung Chung-kiu or Zhang Songqiao (; born 1964) is a Hong Kong–based Chinese billionaire businessman. He is the chairman of C C Land, Y.T. Realty and Yugang International.
Early life
Cheung was born in 1964 in Chongqing, China, where he ...
, Chairman of CC Land, purchased 1 Purves Road, Jardine's Lookout for about HK$760 million, or around HK$100,000 per square foot. In 2018, a site on Perkins Road, Jardine's Lookout, was sold for HK$145,000 per sq.ft. Transactions of these two houses that do not face harbour views indicate a few with harbour views in Jardine's Lookout are valued at
Another benchmark for measuring values is the annual published figures by the government's rating and valuation department, based on estimated rental values, although such properties are not rented out to third parties. In 2019, Joseph Lau Luen-hung's residence at Goldsmith Road ranked the fifth. In 2018, this house was reportedly by Apple Daily
''Apple Daily'' ( zh, link=no, 蘋果日報) was a popular tabloid published in Hong Kong from 1995 to 2021. Founded by Jimmy Lai, it was one of the best-selling Chinese language newspapers in Hong Kong. to be worth HK$2.5 billion. Translating into HK$250,000 based on inside area of around 10,000 square feet, its value surpasses all single houses in 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 city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delt ...
. Figures published in 2021 included 35 Barker Road, owned by Lee Shau-kee
Lee Shau-kee GBM (; born 7 March 1928 in Shunde, Guangdong, China) is a Hong Kong business magnate, investor, and philanthropist. He is a real estate tycoon and majority owner of Henderson Land Development, a property conglomerate with inter ...
and a house on Mount Nicholson among the top five most valuable houses. However, 35 Barker Road consists of three houses, and so it should not be compared to other houses.
Hong Kong's richest tycoons including Li Ka-shing, Sun Hung Kai Properties' Kwok family, Joseph Lau Luen-hung
Joseph Lau Luen-hung (; born 21 July 1951) is a Hong Kong billionaire. Lau is the former chairman of property developer Chinese Estates. He is an avid art and wine collector. His fortune is estimated by ''Forbes'' at $13.3 billion as of ...
live in Deep Water Bay
Deep Water Bay is a bay and residential area on the southern shore of Hong Kong Island in Hong Kong. The bay is surrounded by Shouson Hill, Brick Hill, Violet Hill and Middle Island. As per Forbes (July 2015), with 19 of the city's rich ...
and Jardine's Lookout and not the Peak. There are no apartment buildings, hospitals and schools close to their houses. The Peak has a diverse mix of apartment buildings and houses, and as a tourist destination, also has hospitals, schools and malls. Many properties are also owned for rental purposes typically occupied by expatriate. The Mount Austin is a complex owned by Nan Fung Group with apartments of sizes ranging from 696 sq.ft.
Barker Road
Barker Road () is a road located on Victoria Peak, Hong Kong at an altitude of approximately 350 metres (1150 ft) above sea level with a length of about 1,7 km (1,1 mi). It starts from the Old Peak Road (below the Peak Tram Upper Terminus) and en ...
is one of the most desirable streets because it is located below the level where harbour views are not affected during foggy seasons. In 2010, Lee Shau Kee
Lee Shau-kee GBM (; born 7 March 1928 in Shunde, Guangdong, China) is a Hong Kong business magnate, investor, and philanthropist. He is a real estate tycoon and majority owner of Henderson Land Development, a property conglomerate with inte ...
, Chairman of Henderson Land Development
Henderson Land Development Co. Ltd. () is a listed property developer in Hong Kong and a constituent of the Hang Seng Index. The company's principal activities are property development and investment, project management, construction, hotel op ...
, bought a site at 35 Barker Road
Barker Road () is a road located on Victoria Peak, Hong Kong at an altitude of approximately 350 metres (1150 ft) above sea level with a length of about 1,7 km (1,1 mi). It starts from the Old Peak Road (below the Peak Tram Upper Terminus) and en ...
for HK$1.82b and rebuilt into three houses as his family's dwellings after originally living in a penthouse on Mid-levels. In 2015, Alibaba's founder Jack Ma
Jack Ma Yun (; born 10 September 1964) is a Chinese business magnate, investor and philanthropist. He is the co-founder and former executive chairman of Alibaba Group, a multinational technology conglomerate. In addition, he co-founded Yunfen ...
bought a house on Barker Road
Barker Road () is a road located on Victoria Peak, Hong Kong at an altitude of approximately 350 metres (1150 ft) above sea level with a length of about 1,7 km (1,1 mi). It starts from the Old Peak Road (below the Peak Tram Upper Terminus) and en ...
for HK$1.5b or HK$150,000 per sq.ft.
In 2020, developer The Wharf (Holdings)
The Wharf (Holdings) Limited (), or Wharf (九倉) in short, is a company founded in 1886 in Hong Kong. As its name suggests, the company's original business was in running wharfage and dockside warehousing, and it was originally known as Th ...
bought a plot at Mansfield Road on the Peak for HK$ 12b or HK$46,300 per sq. ft. through government auction. This site is one of the last plots of sites owned by the Hong Kong Government used previously as accommodation for civil servants.
Ecology
The Peak is home to many species of birds, most prominently the black kite
The black kite (''Milvus migrans'') is a medium-sized bird of prey in the family Accipitridae, which also includes many other diurnal raptors. It is thought to be the world's most abundant species of Accipitridae, although some populations have ...
, and numerous species of butterflies. Wild boar and porcupines are also seen on Peak, along with a variety of snakes.
Tourism
With some seven million visitors every year, the Peak is a major tourist attraction of Hong Kong. It has views of the city and its waterfront. The viewing deck also has coin-operated telescopes that the visitors can use to enjoy the cityscape. The number of visitors led to the construction of two major leisure and shopping centres, the Peak Tower
The Peak Tower is a leisure and shopping complex located at Victoria Gap, near the summit of Victoria Peak on Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. It also houses the upper terminal of the Peak Tram. Both the Peak Tower and the Peak Tram are owned ...
and the Peak Galleria, situated adjacent to each other.
The Peak Tower incorporates the upper station of the Peak Tram, the funicular railway
A funicular (, , ) is a type of cable railway system that connects points along a railway track laid on a steep slope. The system is characterized by two counterbalanced carriages (also called cars or trains) permanently attached to opposite en ...
that brings passengers up from the St. John's Anglican Cathedral in Hong Kong's Central district, whilst the Peak Galleria incorporates the bus station used by the Hong Kong public buses and green minibuses on the Peak. The Peak is also accessible by taxi and private car via the circuitous Peak Road, or by walking up the steep Old Peak Road
Old Peak Road is a road in the Mid-Levels on Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. It is the most direct path from Victoria Gap and Victoria Peak to Central on Hong Kong Island. The highest altitude is about 350 meters, the highest altitude of the drivi ...
from near the Zoological Botanical Gardens or the Central Green Trail from Hong Kong Park
The Hong Kong Park is a public park next to Cotton Tree Drive in Central, Hong Kong. Built at a cost of HK$398 million and opened on 23 May 1991, it covers an area of and is an example of modern design and facilities blending with ...
. The nearest MTR station is 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 as ...
.
Victoria Peak Garden is located on the site of Mountain Lodge
Mountain Lodge was the former summer residence of the Governor of Hong Kong on Victoria Peak on the Hong Kong Island in Hong Kong. The second building was a two-storey Renaissance style home and was demolished in 1946. The site is now the ...
, the Governor's old summer residence, and is the closest publicly accessible point to the summit. It can be reached from Victoria Gap
Victoria Gap () is an area and a mountain pass located between the summits of Victoria Peak (aka. Mount Austin) and Mount Gough, on Hong Kong Island, in Hong Kong. It is the most touristic place within the area referred to as '' The Peak'', ...
by walking up Mount Austin Road, a climb of about . Another popular walk is the level loop along Lugard and Harlech Road
Harlech Road () is a road in Hong Kong. It is high up in the Peak area of Hong Kong Island, The road starts at Victoria Gap, then goes along the south slope of Victoria Peak, then crosses High West Gap, and goes along the north slope of Hig ...
s, giving good views of the entire Hong Kong Harbour and Kowloon, as well as Lantau and Lamma Islands, encircling the summit at the level of the Peak Tower.
There are several restaurants on Victoria Peak, most of which are located in the two shopping centres. However, the Peak Lookout
The Peak Lookout is a restaurant located in a heritage house at Victoria Gap, near the summit of Victoria Peak on Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. It is housed in a 19th-century Grade II Historic Building. Originally known as the Old Peak Caf ...
Restaurant, is housed in an older and more traditional building which was originally a spacious house for engineers working on the Peak Tramway. It was rebuilt in 1901 as a stop area for sedan chairs, but was re-opened as a restaurant in 1947.
Official residences
The Peak is home to a few other key officials in 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 city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delt ...
:
* 19 Severn Road – residence of the Secretary for Justice
A justice ministry, ministry of justice, or department of justice is a ministry or other government agency in charge of the administration of justice. The ministry or department is often headed by a minister of justice (minister for justice in a ...
* Victoria House and Victoria Flats at 15 Barker Road – residence of the Chief Secretary for Administration
The Chief Secretary for Administration, commonly known as the Chief Secretary of Hong Kong, is the most senior principal official of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. The Chief Secretary is head of the Governme ...
* Headquarters House 11 Barker Road – residence of the Commander of PLA Forces in Hong Kong and former home of the Commander-in-Chief of British Forces
* Chief Justice's House 18 Gough Hill Road – residence of the Chief Justice of the Court of Final Appeal
Education
Victoria Peak is in Primary One Admission (POA) School Net 11. Within the school net are multiple aided schools (operated independently but funded with government money) and the following government schools: Bonham Road Government Primary School
Bonham Road Government Primary School () is a primary school in Sai Ying Pun, Hong Kong. Its school building is a declared monument of Hong Kong.
Rachel Yeo of the ''South China Morning Post'' wrote that "The building is considered to be a rare s ...
and (李陞小學).
German Swiss International School
The German Swiss International School (GSIS; german: link=no, Deutsch-Schweizerische Internationale Schule; ) is an international school in Hong Kong established in 1969 by German and Swiss families looking for a bilingual German-English educ ...
maintains a campus on Victoria Peak.
Alternative names
Cityscape
Climate
See also
* List of places in Hong Kong
The following is a list of areashttp://www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/MusicOffice/download/imts18.pdf of Hong Kong.
Hong Kong Island
* Central and Western District
** Central District
***Admiralty
**Mid-Levels
***Soho
**Sai Wan
***Kennedy ...
* List of mountains, peaks and hills in Hong Kong
The following is a list of mountains, peaks and hills in Hong Kong.
In the romanisation system used by the Hong Kong Government known as Standard Romanisation, 'shan' and 'leng' are the transliterations of the Cantonese words for 'mount' ( ...
* List of places named after Queen Victoria
Many places which were once in the former British Empire were named after the British monarch who reigned over it for the greater part of its most dominant period, Queen Victoria. As such, Victoria is one of the most commemorated individuals in ...
* The Peak Hotel, a hotel located on Victoria Peak from 1888 to 1936
* Peak District Reservation Ordinance 1904
* Tourism in Hong Kong
The tourism industry has been an important part of the economy of Hong Kong since it shifted to a service sector model in the late 1980s and early 90s. There has been a sharp increase of domestic tourists from Mainland China following the i ...
References
External links
Photos of Victoria Peak at official Hong Kong tourism website
{{Central and Western District
Victoria Peak
Victoria Peak is a hill on the western half of Hong Kong Island. It is also known as Mount Austin, and locally as The Peak only generally. With an elevation of , it is the highest hill on Hong Kong Island, ranked 29 in terms of elevation in Ho ...
Central and Western District, Hong Kong
Hong Kong Island
Restricted areas of Hong Kong red public minibus
Tourist attractions in Hong Kong