Central (also Central District) is the

central business district A central business district (CBD) is the commercial and business centre of a city. It contains commercial space and offices, and in larger cities will often be described as a financial district. Geographically, it often coincides with the "city ...

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 ...

. It is located in

Central and Western District The Central and Western District () located on northwestern part of Hong Kong Island is one of the 18 administrative districts of Hong Kong. It had a population of 243,266 in 2016. The district has the most educated residents with the secon ...

, on the north shore of Hong Kong Island, across

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 ...

from

Tsim Sha Tsui Tsim Sha Tsui, often abbreviated as TST, is an urban area in southern Kowloon, Hong Kong. The area is administratively part of the Yau Tsim Mong District. Tsim Sha Tsui East is a piece of land reclaimed from the Hung Hom Bay now east of Tsi ...

, the southernmost point of Kowloon Peninsula. The area was the heart of Victoria City, although that name As the central business district of Hong Kong, it is the area where many multinational financial services corporations have their headquarters. Consulates general and consulates of many countries are also located in this area, as is

Government Hill The Government Hill is a hill in Central, Hong Kong, bounded by upper section of Upper Albert Road on the south, Queen's Road Central north, Garden Road east, and Glenealy, west of Hong Kong Island. The hill has been the administrative ...

, the site of the government headquarters. The area, with its proximity to Victoria Harbour, has served as the centre of trade and financial activities from the earliest days of the British colonial era in 1841, and continues to flourish and serve as the place of administration after the handover to China in 1997.

Naming

The area of Chung Wan (aka Choong Wan in the past; ), named Central in English, was one of the districts () in Victoria City. The English name ''Central'' became prevalent and the connected stations of Pedder and Chater renamed as '' Central''. On some older maps, it and the area to its west are named Kwan Tai Lo () below

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 ...

. It formed a channel, Chung Mun (), with

, on the sea route along the coast of

southern China South China () is a geographical and cultural region that covers the southernmost part of China. Its precise meaning varies with context. A notable feature of South China in comparison to the rest of China is that most of its citizens are not n ...

. The eastern part of Central District has been known as Admiralty since the completion of Admiralty station in the early 1980s.

Location

Central is located on the north shore of Hong Kong Island, across

from

, the southernmost point of Kowloon Peninsula. It is bordered in the west by Sheung Wan, with the border being along

Aberdeen Street Aberdeen Street is a border street dividing Sheung Wan and Central on Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. It ascends from Queen's Road Central to Caine Road in Mid-Levels. The street is named after George Hamilton-Gordon, 4th Earl of Aberdee ...

(also called Wing Kut Street). It is bordered in the east by Admiralty, an eastern extension of the central business district. As such, Admiralty is sometimes considered a part of Central. Central is bordered in the south by Mid-Levels, an area halfway up

. The boundary between Central and Mid-Levels is not clearly defined. For district council elections purposes, the area, together with Admiralty, correspond roughly to the " Chung Wan" constituency. The boundaries of such constituencies may be subject to modification.

History

The British landed on Possession Point of Sheung Wan in 1841. They soon decided to build a city on the north coast of Hong Kong Island, and the present-day Central was chosen to house major military facilities and an administrative centre. The area soon attracted both

Westerners The Western world, also known as the West, primarily refers to the various nations and states in the regions of Europe, North America, and Oceania.

and Chinese to trade and live in the area, and a Canton Bazaar (precursor of

Central Market Central Market may refer to: *Central Market, a 2009 album by Tyondai Braxton Fresh food markets * Adelaide Central Market, Australia * Cardiff Central Market, Wales *Central Market, Hong Kong * Central Market, Casablanca, Morocco * Riga Central ...

) was built between

Cochrane Street Cochrane Street () is a hilly street between Queen's Road Central and the junction with Gage Street and Lyndhurst Terrace in Central, Hong Kong, Central, Hong Kong. The whole street hosts the Central–Mid-Levels escalators. Name The street was ...

and Graham Street in 1842. The area was soon zoned for Westerners only, and the Chinese residents were restricted to Sheung Wan. t was zoned for "Western-style buildings," meaning buildings with minimum space and hygiene standards The area was largely dominated by the presence of Victoria City. The popularity of this area would also boost the population of Hong Kong from 5,000 in 1841 to 24,000 in 1848.

Government House Government House is the name of many of the official residences of governors-general, governors and lieutenant-governors in the Commonwealth and the remaining colonies of the British Empire. The name is also used in some other countries. Gover ...

and other Hong Kong Government buildings were completed during this period on

. Various barracks, naval base and residence of Commander,

Flagstaff House Flagstaff House, built in 1846, is the oldest example of Western-style architecture remaining in Hong Kong.Antiquities and Monuments OfficeDeclared Monuments in Hong Kong: Flagstaff House It is located at 10 Cotton Tree Drive, Central – w ...

were built on the east end of the district. Between 1860 and 1880 the construction of City Hall, Theatre Royal and other financial structures made Central the heart of Hong Kong. In 1904, the

Praya Reclamation Scheme The Praya Reclamation Scheme () was a large scale land reclamation project carried out by the Hong Kong Land company in Colonial Hong Kong under Sir Catchick Paul Chater and James Johnstone Keswick. Early proposal The project was first proposed i ...

added of land to Central's waterfront. Many of the proposals came from

Sir Paul Chater Sir Catchick Paul Chater ( hy, Փոլ Չաթեր; ; 8 September 1846 – 27 May 1926) was a prominent British businessman of Armenian descent in colonial Hong Kong, whose family roots were in Calcutta, India. Biography Early life Chater was ...

and

James Johnstone Keswick James Johnstone Keswick (1845–1914) was a Scottish businessman in China and Hong Kong. He was the tai-pan of the Jardine Matheson & Co. Biography He was the son of the Thomas Keswick, and younger brother of William Keswick, who was the founde ...

, the founders of Hongkong Land. During the 1920s, Hong Kong was able to push far ahead economically, because of the cohesive collaboration between Central and all waterfront commerce. The military structures survived until the 1980s. Only Flagstaff House remains as Museum of Tea Ware in

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 ...

. City Hall sat on the present premises of the HSBC Hong Kong headquarters. Hong Kong's first road, Queen's Road, passes through the area and the business centre continued to expand toward the shoreline as far as the reclaimed lands. Central has been the site of a number of major political protests. From October 2011 to September 2012, the Occupy Central movement against global economic inequality was based in front of the HSBC Main Building. Two years later, in September 2014, democratic activists initiated

Occupy Central with Love and Peace Occupy Central with Love and Peace (OCLP) was a single-purpose Hong Kong civil disobedience campaign initiated by Reverend Chu Yiu-ming, Benny Tai and Chan Kin-man on 27 March 2013. The campaign was launched on 24 September 2014, partially l ...

, demanding

universal suffrage Universal suffrage (also called universal franchise, general suffrage, and common suffrage of the common man) gives the right to vote to all adult citizens, regardless of wealth, income, gender, social status, race, ethnicity, or political stan ...

for the election of the

Chief Executive of Hong Kong The Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region is the representative of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and head of the Government of Hong Kong. The position was created to replace the office of governor of ...

, eventually contributing to the

Umbrella Revolution A series of sit-in street protests, often called the Umbrella Revolution and sometimes used interchangeably with Umbrella Movement, or Occupy Movement, occurred in Hong Kong from 26 September to 15 December 2014. The protests began after th ...

Economy

There are man
Grade-A commercial buildings in Central
a prime commercial district in Hong Kong.

Bank of China (Hong Kong) Bank of China (Hong Kong) Limited () also known as its short name Bank of China (Hong Kong) or BOCHK (), is a subsidiary of the Bank of China (via a Hong Kong-listed intermediate holding company BOC Hong Kong (Holdings)). Bank of China (Hong ...

has its head office in the Bank of China Tower.

The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited (), commonly known as HSBC (), was the parent entity of the multinational HSBC banking group until 1991, and is now its Hong Kong-based Asia-Pacific subsidiary. The largest bank in Hong K ...

, a subsidiary of HSBC, has its head office in the HSBC Main Building.

Bank of East Asia The Bank of East Asia Limited, often abbreviated to BEA, is a Hong Kong banking and financial services company, headquartered in Central, Hong Kong. It is currently the largest independent local Hong Kong bank, and one of two remaining family ...

and

Hang Seng Bank Hang Seng Bank Limited () is a Hong Kong-based banking and financial services company with headquarters in Central, Hong Kong. It is one of Hong Kong's leading public companies in terms of market capitalisation and is part of the HSBC Group, ...

have their head offices in Central. Chu Kong Passenger Transport is headquartered in the Chu Kong Shipping Tower (珠江船務大廈) in Central. The head office of

New World Development New World Development Company Limited (NWD), is a Hong Kong-based company focused on property, hotels, infrastructure and services and department stores. It was established on 29 May 1970 by Cheng Yu-tung. The company is publicly listed on the ...

is in the in Central. Before 1999, Cathay Pacific had its head office in the Swire House in Central. In 1999, the airline relocated its head office to the

Hong Kong International Airport Hong Kong International Airport is Hong Kong's main airport, built on reclaimed land on the island of Chek Lap Kok, Hong Kong. The airport is also referred to as Chek Lap Kok International Airport or ''Chek Lap Kok Airport'', to distinguish ...

Nord Anglia Education Nord Anglia Education, commonly referred to as Nord Anglia, is a provider of international schools. The head office is in Nova South, 160 Victoria Street, London. Nord Anglia has 70+ private day and boarding schools which are located in 30 co ...

, which operates international schools in various countries, formerly had its head office in Central. The head office moved to

in 2012. In 2018 the company announced it was returning its head office to the United Kingdom.

Notable places, streets and buildings

Office buildings

Hong Kong Central District Night View 201305

* 8 Queen's Road Central *

9 Queen's Road Central 9 Queen's Road Central is a skyscraper located in the Central district of Hong Kong. The tower rises 39 floors and in height. The building was completed in 1991. It was designed by architectural firm Wong Tung & Partners, and was developed by Ho ...

* Agricultural Bank of China Tower *

AIA Central The AIA Central (), formerly called AIG Tower (), in Hong Kong is a 185-metre (607 ft.), 37-storey skyscraper that was completed in 2005 and serves as the headquarters of AIA Group. It is located in Central, not far from the landmark Bank ...

Alexandra House Alexandra House () is an office building in Central, Hong Kong near Central station. The building has 37 levels. It hosts a shopping arcade, Landmark Alexandra, and it is connected to the Central Elevated Walkway. The block formed by Alexan ...

* Bank of America Tower * Bank of China Building, housing the

China Club The China Club is a retro-chic, Shanghai-style club and Michelin star restaurant in Hong Kong. It is related to the China Clubs in Singapore and Beijing but not to the clubs of the same name in New York City and Berlin, Germany. The China Club ...

* Bank of China Tower * Central Building *

Chater House Chater House () is an office tower in Central, Hong Kong. Opened in March 2003, it is a part of the Hongkong Land portfolio of properties. It has a three-level retail podium, known as Landmark Chater. The building was built on the site of th ...

Cheung Kong Center Cheung Kong Center is a skyscraper in Central, Hong Kong, Central, Hong Kong designed by Cesar Pelli. It is 68 storeys tall with height of and a gross floor area of . When completed in 1999, it was the third-tallest building in the city af ...

* Cheung Kong Center II *

Citibank Plaza Three Garden Road, Central, is an office building in Central, Hong Kong, Central, Hong Kong near Garden Road stop of the Peak Tram, completed in 1992 by the Great Eagle Holdings, Great Eagle Group. The building comprises two wings, each with its ...

* CITIC Tower * Entertainment Building * Exchange Square, housing the Hong Kong Stock Exchange *

Hong Kong Club Building The Hong Kong Club Building () is a 25-story office building located in between Chater Road and Connaught Road Central at the junction of Jackson Road, in Central, Hong Kong. The Hong Kong Club Building is currently in its third generation, in ...

, housing the

Hong Kong Club The Hong Kong Club () is the first gentlemen's club in Hong Kong. Opened on 26 May 1846, it is a private business and dining club in the heart of Central, Hong Kong. Its members were (and still are) among the most influential people in the city, ...

Hong Kong Trade Centre Hong may refer to: Places *Høng, a town in Denmark *Hong Kong, a city and a special administrative region in China *Hong, Nigeria *Hong River in China and Vietnam *Lake Hong in China Surnames *Hong (Chinese name) *Hong (Korean name) Organiz ...

* HSBC Main Building * Hutchison House *

Jardine House Jardine House (), formerly known as Connaught Centre (), is an office tower in Hong Kong. The building is located at 1 Connaught Place, Central on Hong Kong Island. It is owned by Hongkong Land Limited, a subsidiary of Jardines. At the time ...

* Man Yee Building *

Prince's Building Prince's Building is an office tower with a six-level shopping centre, known as Landmark Prince's. Located along the western side of the southern section of Statue Square in Central, Hong Kong near Central station, the building is connected to ...

* St. John's Building *

Standard Chartered Bank Building The Standard Chartered Bank Building () is a skyscraper located in Central, Hong Kong. The tower rises 42 storeys and in height. The building was completed in 1990. It was designed by architectural firm P & T Architects & Engineers Ltd. His ...

The Center The Center () is the fifth tallest skyscraper in Hong Kong, after International Commerce Centre, Two International Finance Centre (88 storeys), Central Plaza and Bank of China Tower. With a height of , it comprises 73 storeys. The center is ...

The Centrium The Centrium () is a skyscraper located in the Central district of Hong Kong. The tower rises 41 floors and in height. The building was completed in 2001. It was designed by architectural firm DP Architects, and was developed by the Sino Gr ...

* The Henderson * The Landmark (office and shopping complex) * International Finance Centre (IFC), the second tallest building in Hong Kong *

Wheelock House Wheelock House () is a commercial office building located on Pedder Street in Central, Hong Kong. Wheelock House is a Class A office space completed in 1984 and has 24 storeys. One of its architects was Wong & Ouyang (HK) Ltd while the real estate ...

* Wing On House *

World-Wide House World-Wide House is an office building in Central, Hong Kong. It is located between Connaught Road Central, Pedder Street and Des Voeux Road Central. History The site is situated on land reclaimed at the turn of the 20th century. WWH was cons ...

* York House

Streets and squares

, marking the limit between Central and Sheung Wan * Arbuthnot Road *

Battery Path Battery Path () is a pedestrian-only footpath located beneath Government Hill in Central, Hong Kong. Named after Murray Battery, it stretches from Queen's Road Central to Garden Road. The path is noted for many historical landmarks situated ...

Chater Road Chater Road is a three-lane road in Central, Hong Kong named after Sir Paul Chater. It begins at its intersection with Pedder Street and Des Voeux Road Central in the west, and ends at Murray Road in the east. It divides Statue Square int ...

* Connaught Place *

Connaught Road Central Connacht ( ; ga, Connachta or ), is one of the provinces of Ireland, in the west of Ireland. Until the ninth century it consisted of several independent major Gaelic kingdoms ( Uí Fiachrach, Uí Briúin, Uí Maine, Conmhaícne, and Delb ...

Cotton Tree Drive Cotton Tree Drive () is a road running from Central to Mid-Levels, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. The road is famous for the Cotton Tree Drive Marriage Registry, a hotspot for marriage registration inside Hong Kong Park. It used to be known as Ka ...

D'Aguilar Street D'Aguilar Street (, formerly ) is a street in Central, Hong Kong. It is named after George Charles d'Aguilar (1784–1855), Major General and Lieutenant Governor of Hong Kong from 1843 to 1848. Location D'Aguilar Street is an L-shaped str ...

Des Voeux Road Central Des is a masculine given name, mostly a short form (hypocorism) of Desmond. People named Des include: People * Des Buckingham, English football manager * Des Corcoran, (1928–2004), Australian politician * Des Dillon (disambiguation), severa ...

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 t ...

, a

public square A town square (or square, plaza, public square, city square, urban square, or ''piazza'') is an open public space, commonly found in the heart of a traditional town but not necessarily a true geometric square, used for community gatherings. ...

adjacent to the

* Elgin Street *

Gage Street Gage Street () is a street in Central, Hong Kong. It is on the lower hill and between the junction with Cochrane Street and Lyndhurst Terrace, Graham Street and Aberdeen Street. The street is mainly a market. It is named after William Hall G ...

, a market street * Garden Road * Glenealy * Graham Street, a market street * Gutzlaff Street *

Hollywood Road Hollywood Road is a street in Central and Sheung Wan, on Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. The street runs between Central and Sheung Wan, with Wyndham Street, Arbuthnot Road, Ladder Street, Upper Lascar Row, and Old Bailey Street in the vicini ...

Ice House Street Ice House Street () is a one-way street in Central, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. Named after the structure previously located on it that housed the city's only source of ice, it stretches from Lower Albert Road to Connaught Road. The street ...

*Jubilee Street (). Named for the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria in 1887. *

Lower Albert Road Lower Albert Road is a road on the Government Hill in the Central area of Hong Kong. The road was named after Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, the consort of Queen Victoria. Features The south major entrance of the Former Central Govern ...

Lyndhurst Terrace Lyndhurst Terrace () is a street in the Central area of Hong Kong. Built on a slope in southern Central district, the terrace links Hollywood Road and Wellington Street, at its intersection with Pottinger Street. In the middle it meets Gage Stre ...

Old Bailey Street Old Bailey Street is located in Central, Hong Kong. The name is derived from the Old Bailey, the Central Criminal Court in central London, United Kingdom. Location Old Bailey Street runs downhill from Caine Road in the south to Hollywood Road ...

* On Lan Street *

Pedder Street Pedder Street is a major thoroughfare in the core of Hong Kong's Central District. It runs south–north from Queen's Road Central, continues through Des Voeux Road Central, and ends at its intersection with Connaught Road Central. History ...

* Peel Street *

Pottinger Street Pottinger Street is a street in Central, Hong Kong. It is also known as the ''Stone Slabs Street'' () since the street is paved unevenly by granite stone steps. It was named in 1858 after Henry Pottinger, the first Governor of Hong Kong, ser ...

, one of the "

ladder streets Ladder streets are narrow streets in Hong Kong comprising steps. Most are found between Central and Sheung Wan and Mid-Levels on Hong Kong Island, from Queen's Road Central, through Hollywood Road and a few other cross streets, to Caine Road at th ...

" *

Queen's Road Central Queen's Road is a collection of roads along the northern coast of Hong Kong Island, in Hong Kong, within the limit of Victoria City. It was the first road in Hong Kong, constructed by the British between 1841 and 1843, spanning across Victoria ...

, the first road in Hong Kong built by the Government of Hong Kong between 1841 and 1843Lim, Patricia. 002(2002). Discovering Hong Hong's Cultural Heritage. Central, Hong Kong: Oxford University Press. ISBN Volume One 0-19-592723-0 * Queen Victoria Street * Queensway, in Admiralty * Stanley Street *

Statue Square Statue Square (; lit. "Empress' Statue Square") is a public pedestrian square in Central, Hong Kong. Built entirely on reclaimed land at the end of the 19th century, Statue Square consists of two parts separated by Chater Road into a n ...

, a public pedestrian square * Staunton Street * Staveley Street, one of the "ladder streets" *

Theatre Lane Theatre Lane ( Chinese: 戲院里) is a street in Central, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. It was named after the Queen's Theatre, which was located at the southern end of the street from 1924 to 2007. Notable buildings along the street The followin ...

, home to many of Hong Kong's shoe shiners * Wellington Street *

Wyndham Street Wyndham Street is a one-way street in Central, Hong Kong. It is one of the earliest colonial streets, once known as Pedder Hill. Location It starts at the junction with Hollywood Road and Arbuthnot Road, near the Central Police Station, an ...

*Wing On Street (), aka. Cloth Street ()

Government buildings

* Central Government Complex, Tamar *

Former Central Government Offices The Former Central Government Offices (also the Government Headquarters), now called Justice Place, is an office building complex that formerly housed most of the major offices of the Hong Kong Government. The complex is located in Cent ...

Chinese People's Liberation Army Forces Hong Kong Building The Chinese People's Liberation Army Forces Hong Kong Building is a 113-metre (371 ft) tall, 28-floor building located within the former HMS Tamar naval base on Lung Wui Road, Admiralty, Hong Kong. It serves as the headquarters of the Peop ...

* City Hall *

Former French Mission Building The Former French Mission Building is a declared monument located on Government Hill at 1, Battery Path, Central, Hong Kong. It housed the Court of Final Appeal of Hong Kong from 1 July 1997 to 6 September 2015. Antiquities and Monuments O ...

, housing the Court of Final Appeal * General Post Office, Hong Kong *

Hong Kong Planning and Infrastructure Exhibition Gallery City Gallery is an exhibition centre about the planning and development of urban areas in Hong Kong. It is located at Edinburgh Place in Central, Victoria City. It is a public relations effort of the Planning Department of the Hong Kong govern ...

* Legislative Council Building *

Queensway Government Offices The Queensway Government Office Building is a skyscraper located in the Admiralty district of Hong Kong near Admiralty station. The tower rises 56 floors and in height. The building was completed in 1985. It was designed by Mr K.M. Tseng of ...

Other historical buildings

* Bishop's House *

* Central Police Station *

Duddell Street Duddell Street is a small street located near the Lan Kwai Fong district in Central, Hong Kong. Named after George and Frederick Duddell, it stretches from Ice House Street to Queen's Road Central. The street is noted for containing the ci ...

Steps and Gas Lamps *

Former Central Magistracy The former Central Magistracy is located at 1, Arbuthnot Road, Central, Victoria, Hong Kong. It was constructed from 1913 to 1914. History The site where the building is standing was originally occupied by the first Hong Kong Magistracy. The ...

* Hong Kong Visual Arts Centre * Old Dairy Farm Depot, housing the Hong Kong Fringe Club and the Foreign Correspondents' Club * Pedder Building *

The Cenotaph The Cenotaph is a war memorial on Whitehall in London, England. Designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, it was unveiled in 1920 as the United Kingdom's national memorial to the British and Commonwealth dead of the First World War, was rededicated in 19 ...

* The Helena May main building * Victoria Prison * Zetland Hall *

Central and Western Heritage Trail The Central and Western Heritage Trail is a Heritage Trail in Hong Kong, that was designed by the Antiquities and Monuments Office of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department. It covers the Central and Western District of Hong Kong and consist ...

Dr Sun Yat-sen Historical Trail The Dr Sun Yat-sen Historical Trail () was set up in November 1996 by the Central and Western District Council to commemorate the 130th birthday of Sun Yat-sen. It includes 16 spots in the areas of Central, Hong Kong, Central and Sheung Wan in Hon ...

Hotels

Central, together with

and

Tsim Sha Tsui East Tsim Sha Tsui, often abbreviated as TST, is an urban area in southern Kowloon, Hong Kong. The area is administratively part of the Yau Tsim Mong District. Tsim Sha Tsui East is a piece of land reclaimed from the Hung Hom Bay now east of Tsim ...

, is home to many hotels. * Conrad Hong Kong (Pacific Place, Admiralty) *

Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong () is a five-star hotel located in the International Finance Centre complex in Central, Hong Kong near Hong Kong station. It was completed and opened in September 2005. It is a 45-storey building with 399 rooms, ...

( IFC) *

Hong Kong Hilton Hong Kong Hilton was a hotel in Central, Hong Kong. Built in 1963, the 26-storey hotel was initially the only 5-star hotel on the island side of the territory. It closed in May 1995, and was demolished soon thereafter along with Beaconsfield Hou ...

(demolished in 1995) * JW Marriott Hotel Hong Kong (Pacific Place, Admiralty) * Landmark Mandarin Oriental ( The Landmark) *

Mandarin Oriental Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group International Limited (MOHG) is a Hong Kong hotel investment and management group focusing on luxury hotels, resorts, and residences, with a total of 33 properties worldwide, 20 of which are fully or partially ow ...

(

) * The Murray, Hong Kong *

Ovolo Hotels Ovolo Hotels () is an independent hotel brand and serviced apartment owner-operator headquartered in Hong Kong. Founded by Girish Jhunjhnuwala, Ovolo Hotels remains a privately family-owned business under the Hind Group. History Ovolo Hotels s ...

(2 Arbuthnot Road). Opened in October 2012. *

Ritz-Carlton The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, LLC is an American multinational company that operates the luxury hotel chain known as The Ritz-Carlton. The company has 108 luxury hotels and resorts in 30 countries and territories with 29,158 rooms, in addi ...

(Chater Road), closed 1 January 2008. * Island Shangri-La ( Pacific Place, Admiralty)

Entertainment areas

Lan Kwai Fong Lan Kwai Fong (often abbreviated as LKF) is a small square of streets in Central, Hong Kong. The area was dedicated to hawkers before the Second World War, but underwent a renaissance in the mid-1980s. It is now a popular expatriate haunt ...

, the location of numerous bars, restaurants and clubs * Hong Kong Maritime Museum, Central Ferry Pier 8 * SoHo, Hong Kong *

Places of worship

*Various

Buddhist Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...

temples * St. John's Cathedral ( Sheng Kung Hui, Anglican Church) *First Church of Christ Scientist * Union Church * Immaculate Conception Cathedral, Hong Kong (Roman Catholic) *St. Joseph's Church (Roman Catholic)

Parks

Chater Garden Chater Garden, located in the Central District of Hong Kong, is a public park directly east of the Legislative Council building. It is named after Sir Paul Chater, as is the adjacent Chater Road. History In the early days of British ru ...

* Cheung Kong Park *

, former location of the Victoria Barracks *

Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens The Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens is one of the oldest zoological and botanical centres in the world, and the oldest park in Hong Kong. Founded in 1864, its first stage was opened to the public in 1871.Statue Square Statue Square (; lit. "Empress' Statue Square") is a public pedestrian square in Central, Hong Kong. Built entirely on reclaimed land at the end of the 19th century, Statue Square consists of two parts separated by Chater Road into a n ...

Schools

* (高主教書院) *

Sacred Heart Canossian School Sacred Heart Canossian School (; abbr: "SHCS"; not to be confused with Sacred Heart Canossian School Private Section) is a Catholic girls' school established at Caine Road, Mid-Levels, Hong Kong. SHCS is partially funded by the Government as a ...

St Joseph's College, Hong Kong St. Joseph's College also referred to by its acronym SJC is an elite Catholic all-boys secondary education institution run by the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools in Central Mid-Levels district, Hong Kong. It was established ...

Ying Wa Girls' School Ying Wa Girls' School () is an HKCCCC secondary day school for girls in Mid-Levels, Hong Kong. The campus is located at 76 Robinson Road, Mid-levels. Total enrollment currently stands at slightly under 1,000. It is one of the 22 Grant Scho ...

(in Mid-Levels) * St. Paul's Co-educational College (in Mid-Levels) Central 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).

Former buildings

* Beaconsfield House, demolished in 1995 *

, closed in 1995 *

Hongkong Hotel The Hongkong Hotel was Hong Kong's first luxury hotel modelled after sumptuous London hotels. It opened on Queen's Road and Pedder Street in 1868, later expanding into the Victoria Harbour waterfront of Victoria City in 1893. History The orig ...

, closed in 1952 *

Murray House Murray House is a Victorian-era building in Stanley, Hong Kong. Built in the present-day business district of Central in 1846 as officers' quarters of the Murray Barracks, the building was moved to the south of Hong Kong Island during the ...

, part of

Murray Barracks Murray Barracks () was a barracks for the British Army garrisoned in Admiralty, Central in Hong Kong. It was named after Sir George Murray, the Master-General of the Ordnance at the time of construction. Location It was situated between present ...

, moved to

Stanley Stanley may refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television * ''Stanley'' (1972 film), an American horror film * ''Stanley'' (1984 film), an Australian comedy * ''Stanley'' (1999 film), an animated short * ''Stanley'' (1956 TV series) ...

* Old Central Government Offices, demolished in 1954 *

Wellington Barracks Wellington Barracks is a military barracks in Westminster, central London, for the Foot Guards battalions on public duties in that area. The building is located about three hundred yards from Buckingham Palace, allowing the guard to be able to ...

, demolished in 1992 *

City Hall Ferry Pier City Hall Ferry Pier () was a barge pier at the east of ex-Queen's Pier outside Hong Kong City Hall Hong Kong City Hall () is a building located at Edinburgh Place, Central, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. Since Hong Kong is a " Special ...

, barge pier, closed due to the Central and Wan Chai Reclamation *

Edinburgh Place Ferry Pier Edinburgh Place Ferry Pier, often referred to as the "Star Ferry" Pier, was a pier in Edinburgh Place, Central, Hong Kong, serving the Star Ferry. The pier, with its clock tower, was a prominent waterfront landmark. Built in 1957 at the height ...

, demolished in 2007 *

Blake Pier, Central The Blake Pier was a ferry pier in Central, Hong Kong. It was named after Sir Henry Arthur Blake, the twelfth governor of Hong Kong. History First generation The first generation of the pier was built in 1900 the end of Pedder Street for ...

, demolished, partially moved to Stanley *

Queen's Pier Queen's Pier, named after Queen Victoria, was a public pier in front of City Hall in Edinburgh Place, Central, Hong Kong. For three generations it served not only as a public pier in day-to-day use but also as a major ceremonial arrival and d ...

, demolished in 2008 * United Pier, demolished in 1994

Transport

HK Central Cochrane Street Central-Mid-Levels escalators Upsidedown

Public transport

The area is a major transport hub for Hong Kong (see also

Transport in Hong Kong Hong Kong has a Developed country, highly developed and sophisticated transport network, encompassing both public transport, public and private transport. Based on Hong Kong Government's Travel Characteristics Survey, over 90% of the daily jou ...

). *Bus ** KMB, serving only cross- harbour routes on Hong Kong Island ** First Bus ** Citybus *

Minibus A minibus, microbus, minicoach, or commuter (in Zimbabwe) is a passenger-carrying motor vehicle that is designed to carry more people than a multi-purpose vehicle or minivan, but fewer people than a full-size bus. In the United Kingdom, ...

*Trains and Trams ** MTR –

Island line Island Line or Island line may refer to: * Island line (MTR), one of the lines of the MTR metro system in Hong Kong * Island Line, Isle of Wight, a railway line on the Isle of Wight, England ** Island Line (brand) Island Line is a brand of the ...

Tsuen Wan line The Tsuen Wan line is one of the eleven lines of the metro network in Hong Kong's MTR. It is indicated in red on the MTR map. There are 16 stations on the line. The southern terminus is Central station on Hong Kong Island and the no ...

Tung Chung line The Tung Chung line is one of the ten lines of the MTR system in Hong Kong, linking the town of Tung Chung with central Hong Kong. A part of the Tung Chung line was built along with the Kap Shui Mun Bridge and the Tsing Ma Bridge. The line c ...

Airport Express The AirPort Express is a Wi-Fi base station product from Apple Inc., part of the AirPort product line. While more compact and in some ways simpler than another Apple Wi-Fi base station, the AirPort Extreme, the Express offers audio output cap ...

South Island line The South Island line, identified by light green on the MTR route map, is a rapid transit line of Hong Kong's MTR metro system. This line connects the HK business district from Admiralty station to the Southern District of Hong Kong Island ...

East Rail line The East Rail line () is one of ten lines of the Mass Transit Railway (MTR) system in Hong Kong. It used to be one of the three lines of the Kowloon–Canton Railway (KCR) network. It was known as the KCR British Section () from 1910 to 199 ...

at Sheung Wan,

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 Delta i ...

, Central and Admiralty stations **

Tram A tram (called a streetcar or trolley in North America) is a rail vehicle that travels on tramway tracks on public urban streets; some include segments on segregated right-of-way. The tramlines or networks operated as public transport are ...

** Peak Tram *

Ferries A ferry is a ship, watercraft or amphibious vehicle used to carry passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo, across a body of water. A passenger ferry with many stops, such as in Venice, Italy, is sometimes called a water bus or water tax ...

** Sun Ferry, to Silvermine Bay ( Mui Wo),

Peng Chau Peng Chau is a small island located off the north-eastern coast of Lantau Island, Hong Kong. It is known locally for its temples, fishing industry and seafood. Geography Peng Chau has an area of and a perimeter of about . The tallest point ...

and

Cheung Chau Cheung Chau (lit. "Long Island") is an island southwest of Hong Kong Island. It is nicknamed the 'dumbbell island (啞鈴島)' due to its shape. It has been inhabited for longer than most other places in Hong Kong, and had a population of ...

** Hong Kong & Kowloon Ferry, to

Sok Kwu Wan 250px, Sok Kwu Wan viewed from Lamma Island walk Sok Kwu Wan () or Picnic Bay () is a bay on the east coast of Lamma Island, Hong Kong. A fishing town of the same name, Sok Kwu Wan, in the bay has a cluster of famous and well-reputed seafood res ...

and Yung Shue Wan on

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 ...

** Star Ferry, to

and Hung Hom **Discovery Bay Ferry, to

and

Discovery Bay Discovery Bay (DB) is a resort town on Lantau Island, Hong Kong. It consists of mixed, primarily residential, development, in particular upmarket residential development and private and public recreational facilities, including garden houses, ...

** Park Island Ferry *Ferry piers: **

Central Piers The Central Ferry Piers (Chinese: 中環碼頭) are situated on the northeast part of Central, Hong Kong Island. The ferries mostly depart to Outlying Islands in the New Territories, with the exception of Pier 1 serving as a governme ...

Star Ferry Pier, Central Star Ferry Pier, Central () may refer to any of the successive generations of Central Ferry Piers in Central, Hong Kong used by the Star Ferry for its services across Victoria Harbour to Tsim Sha Tsui Ferry Pier and until April 2011, to Hung ...

*Pedestrian facilities **

Central Elevated Walkway The Central Elevated Walkway is an extensive footbridge network spanning Admiralty, Central and parts of Sheung Wan, near Victoria Harbour in Hong Kong. The system was built in phases by the Hong Kong Government and various developers, such as ...

Central–Mid-Levels escalator The Central–Mid-Levels escalator and walkway system in Hong Kong is the longest outdoor covered escalator system in the world. The system covers over in distance and traverses an elevation of over from bottom to top. It opened in 1993 to p ...

Expressways and routes

* Route 4 **

** Central–Wan Chai Bypass

Climate

References

External links

* *
Photo Tour of Central Hong Kong
About.com
Map of Central District in 1964 (crown copyright)

{{Authority control Central and Western District, Hong Kong Economy of Hong Kong Financial districts in China Populated coastal places in Hong Kong Populated places in Hong Kong Areas of Hong Kong Victoria City