Kowloon City

The original 'Kowloon City' was a Chinese border town on the shores of northern Kowloon Bay. After the cease of Hong Kong Island to Britain in 1842, Chinese authorities felt it necessary for them to establish a military-cum-administrative post to rule the area and to check further British influence in the area.

The City was not included in the lease of the New Territories in 1898. As a result, the City was a Chinese enclave in British territory. As the political turmoils plagued China, the City was soon forgotten by Chinese authorities, remembered only when British authorities tried to clear the area.

During the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong the wall that surrounded the city was removed as building materials for the nearby Kai Tak Aerodrome. With no wall to protect it, the City became a haven for crooks and drug addicts, as the Hong Kong Police had no right to enter the City.

After the Joint Declaration in 1984, China allowed British authorities to demolish the City and resettle its inhabitants. The area was built into a beautiful park.