Hong Kong Photo Gallery - Historic Tsim Sha Tsui

At the end of the 19th century, the British colonial government and mainland CHina agreed toi build a rail line to Guangzhou. In 1912, the government decided to build the terminus in Tsim Sha Tsui. The Kowloon-Canton Railway Clock Tower is the only part of the old train terminus left today. Completed in 1915, the Edwardian Classicial Revival building stands 44m high and the clocks started operating in 1921 but the bells were no longer used starting in 1950. The terminus was eventually moved to a larger facility in Hung Hom and the building was demolished in 1978, with the clock tower being the only part that was kept.

Signal Hill Tower was built by the Observatory in 1908 to provide time for incoming ships. From 1908-1920, every day at 1pm, a copper ball was dropped from the top of the 12.8m tower to tell the time. The ball was dropped twice a day from 1980-1933. While surrounded by tall buildings today, the tower was located on the district's highest point.

Today, the tower is part of the Signal Hill Garden, a quiet and relatively obscure park despite in the heart of the shopping area.

The former Marine Police Headquarters was completed in 1884 and was used for that purpose until 1996. In 2003, the government invited redevelopment proposals for the site and the current revitalization opened in 2009, turning the historic site into a luxury shopping mall.

St. Andrew's Church was completed in 1906 and continues to serve the Anglican community today. It survived World War II as a Shinto shrine and is now somewhat hidden from Nathan Road today.

Next door, the Antiquities and Monuments Office now occupies the old Kowloon British School, which opened in 1902 and is the oldest surviving school for foreign residents. The building has wide verdanas and high ceilings to adapt to Hong Kong's hot and humid weather.

Haiphong Road Temporary Market's cooked food centre closed for renovations in late 2018. After 2 years, it re-opened with some of the original restaurants returning. Interestingly, this temporary market has been around for some 40 years, and is still called that today.

Meanwhile, the food market behind it remains fairly deserted, dilapidated, and uninviting.

Hong Kong Gallery Main Page


At the end of the 19th century, the British colonial government and mainland CHina agreed toi build a rail line to Guangzhou. In 1912, the government decided to build the terminus in Tsim Sha Tsui. The Kowloon-Canton Railway Clock Tower is the only part of the old train terminus left today. Completed in 1915, the Edwardian Classicial Revival building stands 44m high and the clocks started operating in 1921 but the bells were no longer used starting in 1950. The terminus was eventually moved to a larger facility in Hung Hom and the building was demolished in 1978, with the clock tower being the only part that was kept. Signal Hill Tower was built by the Observatory in 1908 to provide time for incoming ships. From 1908-1920, every day at 1pm, a copper ball was dropped from the top of the 12.8m tower to tell the time. The ball was dropped twice a day from 1980-1933. While surrounded by tall buildings today, the tower was located on the district's highest point. Today, the tower is part of the Signal Hill Garden, a quiet and relatively obscure park despite in the heart of the shopping area.





The former Marine Police Headquarters was completed in 1884 and was used for that purpose until 1996. In 2003, the government invited redevelopment proposals for the site and the current revitalization opened in 2009, turning the historic site into a luxury shopping mall.







St. Andrew's Church was completed in 1906 and continues to serve the Anglican community today. It survived World War II as a Shinto shrine and is now somewhat hidden from Nathan Road today.


Next door, the Antiquities and Monuments Office now occupies the old Kowloon British School, which opened in 1902 and is the oldest surviving school for foreign residents. The building has wide verdanas and high ceilings to adapt to Hong Kong's hot and humid weather.



Haiphong Road Temporary Market's cooked food centre closed for renovations in late 2018. After 2 years, it re-opened with some of the original restaurants returning. Interestingly, this temporary market has been around for some 40 years, and is still called that today.


Meanwhile, the food market behind it remains fairly deserted, dilapidated, and uninviting.