Colonial Buildings in Central Hong Kong (Self Guided), Hong Kong
Hong Kong’s Central district is one of the rare places in Asia where traces of a colonial past stand visibly beside glass towers and global financial institutions. Moving through these streets reveals a network of buildings that once shaped governance, religion, trade, and everyday life during more than 150 years of British administration. Together, they chart Hong Kong’s evolution from a sparsely populated island claimed in 1841 into one of the world’s most dynamic urban centers.
Yet the city’s story begins long before its colonial chapter. For centuries, the sheltered waters of Victoria Harbor supported fishing villages, salt fields, and small trading communities linked to the wider Pearl River Delta. Local residents relied on the harbor’s natural protection, long recognized by Chinese sailors for its depth and calm anchorage. Hong Kong’s modern trajectory took shape in 1841, when Britain occupied Hong Kong Island during the First Opium War.
Throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, colonial authorities built a network of institutions that helped define Hong Kong’s civic life. Many of these structures still stand in the Central district, forming an architectural timeline of the colony’s development. Flagstaff House, built in the 1840s as the residence of the Commander of British Forces, is the earliest surviving Western-style building in Hong Kong. Today it houses the Museum of Tea Ware, offering a peaceful contrast to its military past.
The Legislative Council Building, completed in 1912, originally served as the Supreme Court. Its neoclassical design, granite colonnades, and central dome reflect British legal traditions brought to the colony. Nearby, the Court of Final Appeal occupies the former French Mission Building, a striking red-brick structure completed in 1917 with Renaissance influences and broad verandas.
Saint John’s Cathedral, finished in 1849, holds the title of the oldest surviving Anglican church in East Asia. It has weathered wars, occupation, and reconstruction while remaining a spiritual anchor in the city. Further uphill, Government House served as the residence of Hong Kong’s governors from 1855 onward. Over time, its design incorporated Tudor Revival, Georgian, and even Japanese elements, reflecting the colony’s changing politics and tastes.
The more utilitarian side of colonial life appears in the Old Dairy Farm Depot, once central to supplying pasteurized milk; the Central Magistracy, the colony’s judicial hub; and the Central Police Station, whose earliest blocks date to the 1860s and formed a complete law-and-order compound with Victoria Prison. Together, these buildings capture the formation of Hong Kong as a colonial city—its ambitions, contradictions, and enduring layers of history.
Yet the city’s story begins long before its colonial chapter. For centuries, the sheltered waters of Victoria Harbor supported fishing villages, salt fields, and small trading communities linked to the wider Pearl River Delta. Local residents relied on the harbor’s natural protection, long recognized by Chinese sailors for its depth and calm anchorage. Hong Kong’s modern trajectory took shape in 1841, when Britain occupied Hong Kong Island during the First Opium War.
Throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, colonial authorities built a network of institutions that helped define Hong Kong’s civic life. Many of these structures still stand in the Central district, forming an architectural timeline of the colony’s development. Flagstaff House, built in the 1840s as the residence of the Commander of British Forces, is the earliest surviving Western-style building in Hong Kong. Today it houses the Museum of Tea Ware, offering a peaceful contrast to its military past.
The Legislative Council Building, completed in 1912, originally served as the Supreme Court. Its neoclassical design, granite colonnades, and central dome reflect British legal traditions brought to the colony. Nearby, the Court of Final Appeal occupies the former French Mission Building, a striking red-brick structure completed in 1917 with Renaissance influences and broad verandas.
Saint John’s Cathedral, finished in 1849, holds the title of the oldest surviving Anglican church in East Asia. It has weathered wars, occupation, and reconstruction while remaining a spiritual anchor in the city. Further uphill, Government House served as the residence of Hong Kong’s governors from 1855 onward. Over time, its design incorporated Tudor Revival, Georgian, and even Japanese elements, reflecting the colony’s changing politics and tastes.
The more utilitarian side of colonial life appears in the Old Dairy Farm Depot, once central to supplying pasteurized milk; the Central Magistracy, the colony’s judicial hub; and the Central Police Station, whose earliest blocks date to the 1860s and formed a complete law-and-order compound with Victoria Prison. Together, these buildings capture the formation of Hong Kong as a colonial city—its ambitions, contradictions, and enduring layers of history.
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Colonial Buildings in Central Hong Kong Map
Guide Name: Colonial Buildings in Central Hong Kong
Guide Location: Hong Kong » Hong Kong (See other walking tours in Hong Kong)
Guide Type: Self-guided Walking Tour (Sightseeing)
# of Attractions: 8
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.5 Km or 1.6 Miles
Author: emma
Sight(s) Featured in This Guide:
Guide Location: Hong Kong » Hong Kong (See other walking tours in Hong Kong)
Guide Type: Self-guided Walking Tour (Sightseeing)
# of Attractions: 8
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.5 Km or 1.6 Miles
Author: emma
Sight(s) Featured in This Guide:
- Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware
- Legislative Council Building
- Court of Final Appeal
- St. John's Cathedral
- Government House
- Old Dairy Farm Depot
- Central Magistracy
- Central Police Station
1) Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware
Once serving as the home of the Commander of the British forces during the colonial era, Flagstaff House has since been repurposed and transformed into today’s Museum of Tea Ware. Constructed in 1846 and situated on Cotton Tree Drive within the grounds of Hong Kong Park, it stands as Hong Kong’s oldest surviving example of Western-style architecture.
Originally known as Headquarters House until 1932, its location was deliberately chosen: a small bluff overlooking the barracks, Queen’s Road, and the waterfront. The design reflects the elegance of the Greek Revival style and is attributed either to Murdoch Bruce or Lieutenant Bernard Collinson. Major-General George Charles D’Aguilar was its first occupant.
During World War II, Flagstaff House sustained damage during Japanese bombings but was later repaired and used as the Commandant’s residence. After the war, it once again housed the Commander until 1978, when a new residence on Barker Road took over this role. The building was subsequently handed to the Hong Kong Government and, in 1981, came under the administration of the Urban Council.
Recognized as a declared monument in 1989, Flagstaff House underwent significant restoration to return it to its mid-19th-century appearance. In 1984, the Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware was established as a branch of the Hong Kong Museum of Art. The museum highlights the history, culture, and craftsmanship of Chinese tea preparation, presenting an exceptional collection that includes Yixing teapots from Jiangsu province—among them the world’s oldest surviving teapot. Visitors will also find fine porcelain tea sets, Qing dynasty brewing vessels, lacquerware trays, calligraphy related to tea culture, and rotating thematic exhibitions that explore everything from regional tea traditions to contemporary interpretations of teaware design.
Originally known as Headquarters House until 1932, its location was deliberately chosen: a small bluff overlooking the barracks, Queen’s Road, and the waterfront. The design reflects the elegance of the Greek Revival style and is attributed either to Murdoch Bruce or Lieutenant Bernard Collinson. Major-General George Charles D’Aguilar was its first occupant.
During World War II, Flagstaff House sustained damage during Japanese bombings but was later repaired and used as the Commandant’s residence. After the war, it once again housed the Commander until 1978, when a new residence on Barker Road took over this role. The building was subsequently handed to the Hong Kong Government and, in 1981, came under the administration of the Urban Council.
Recognized as a declared monument in 1989, Flagstaff House underwent significant restoration to return it to its mid-19th-century appearance. In 1984, the Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware was established as a branch of the Hong Kong Museum of Art. The museum highlights the history, culture, and craftsmanship of Chinese tea preparation, presenting an exceptional collection that includes Yixing teapots from Jiangsu province—among them the world’s oldest surviving teapot. Visitors will also find fine porcelain tea sets, Qing dynasty brewing vessels, lacquerware trays, calligraphy related to tea culture, and rotating thematic exhibitions that explore everything from regional tea traditions to contemporary interpretations of teaware design.
2) Legislative Council Building
The Former Supreme Court Building of Hong Kong, later known as the Legislative Council Building, is a landmark of considerable historical significance. Completed in 1912, it served as the Supreme Court for more than seven decades before the judiciary relocated in 1985, at which point the building was reassigned to the Legislative Council.
Its architectural design was entrusted to Sir Aston Webb, the British architect best known for the eastern façade of Buckingham Palace. Working with Ingress Bell, he created a dignified neo-classical structure on newly reclaimed land. The three-storey granite exterior is supported by Ionic columns, while the rooftop is crowned with a statue of Themis, the blindfolded Greek goddess of justice and law—an identical counterpart to the figure atop London’s Old Bailey.
In 1978, significant restoration work was carried out in response to the construction of the Mass Transit Railway nearby. The building went on to house the Legislative Council until 2011, and, after further adaptation, became the home of the Court of Final Appeal in 2015. Today, as one of Hong Kong’s declared monuments, it remains an enduring symbol of the city’s legal and colonial heritage.
Its architectural design was entrusted to Sir Aston Webb, the British architect best known for the eastern façade of Buckingham Palace. Working with Ingress Bell, he created a dignified neo-classical structure on newly reclaimed land. The three-storey granite exterior is supported by Ionic columns, while the rooftop is crowned with a statue of Themis, the blindfolded Greek goddess of justice and law—an identical counterpart to the figure atop London’s Old Bailey.
In 1978, significant restoration work was carried out in response to the construction of the Mass Transit Railway nearby. The building went on to house the Legislative Council until 2011, and, after further adaptation, became the home of the Court of Final Appeal in 2015. Today, as one of Hong Kong’s declared monuments, it remains an enduring symbol of the city’s legal and colonial heritage.
3) Court of Final Appeal
Housed in the Former French Mission Building, the Court of Final Appeal of Hong Kong is the highest appellate court in the city, holding ultimate authority over all local laws. It was established on July 1, 1997, the day Hong Kong’s sovereignty transferred from the United Kingdom to China, replacing the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in London as the final court of appeal. In 2015, the court moved from the Former French Mission Building to the restored Old Supreme Court Building on Jackson Road.
The court’s former home, the Former French Mission Building, was originally a mansion known as Johnston House. The present structure was completed by the French Mission, designed with inspiration from “Beaconsfield,” a neighboring residence once standing nearby. Its red-brick facade, granite detailing, and Edwardian neo-classical style give it a distinctive presence on the hillside, while the podium beneath accommodates the steep contours of Government Hill.
Over the years, the building has served multiple purposes—including housing the French Mission, government offices, cultural institutions, and, from 1997 to 2015, the Court of Final Appeal. Today it forms part of Hong Kong’s wider legal center and is generally used by legal-related organizations rather than as a public museum space. While the interior is not normally open for casual visits, the exterior and its surroundings remain accessible.
The court’s former home, the Former French Mission Building, was originally a mansion known as Johnston House. The present structure was completed by the French Mission, designed with inspiration from “Beaconsfield,” a neighboring residence once standing nearby. Its red-brick facade, granite detailing, and Edwardian neo-classical style give it a distinctive presence on the hillside, while the podium beneath accommodates the steep contours of Government Hill.
Over the years, the building has served multiple purposes—including housing the French Mission, government offices, cultural institutions, and, from 1997 to 2015, the Court of Final Appeal. Today it forms part of Hong Kong’s wider legal center and is generally used by legal-related organizations rather than as a public museum space. While the interior is not normally open for casual visits, the exterior and its surroundings remain accessible.
4) St. John's Cathedral
Of the few cathedrals in Hong Kong, the Cathedral Church of Saint John the Evangelist – commonly known as Saint John’s Cathedral – is the oldest. Like Holy Trinity Cathedral and All Saints’ Cathedral, Saint John’s is Anglican. Completed in 1849 and consecrated in 1852, it is not only the oldest cathedral in Hong Kong but also the oldest Anglican church in the Far East.
Designed in the English Gothic Revival style, the cathedral is built from stucco and wood, with a simple cross-shaped plan and an understated, early English–inspired interior that contrasts with the surrounding skyscrapers. Inside, memorial tablets, stained-glass windows and a prominent chancel recall its long role as the main Anglican church for the city. Today it serves as the cathedral of the Anglican Diocese of Hong Kong Island and the mother church of the Province of Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui.
The building has also lived through some of Hong Kong’s hardest moments. During the Japanese occupation in World War II, Saint John’s was turned into a club for Japanese forces, and many original fittings – including stained glass designed by William Morris’s firm – were stripped out. After the war, services resumed and the cathedral was gradually restored; in 1996 it was declared a monument, recognizing its importance as the oldest surviving Western ecclesiastical building in Hong Kong.
Visitors are welcome to attend services at Saint John’s. The cathedral now holds multiple services across Saturdays and Sundays, with a quieter lunchtime meditation on Mondays that offers a brief pause in the middle of the working week. Wednesday lunchtime performances are often held here, and there is also a small cafe on the cathedral grounds, The Nest, serving drinks and light snacks.
Designed in the English Gothic Revival style, the cathedral is built from stucco and wood, with a simple cross-shaped plan and an understated, early English–inspired interior that contrasts with the surrounding skyscrapers. Inside, memorial tablets, stained-glass windows and a prominent chancel recall its long role as the main Anglican church for the city. Today it serves as the cathedral of the Anglican Diocese of Hong Kong Island and the mother church of the Province of Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui.
The building has also lived through some of Hong Kong’s hardest moments. During the Japanese occupation in World War II, Saint John’s was turned into a club for Japanese forces, and many original fittings – including stained glass designed by William Morris’s firm – were stripped out. After the war, services resumed and the cathedral was gradually restored; in 1996 it was declared a monument, recognizing its importance as the oldest surviving Western ecclesiastical building in Hong Kong.
Visitors are welcome to attend services at Saint John’s. The cathedral now holds multiple services across Saturdays and Sundays, with a quieter lunchtime meditation on Mondays that offers a brief pause in the middle of the working week. Wednesday lunchtime performances are often held here, and there is also a small cafe on the cathedral grounds, The Nest, serving drinks and light snacks.
5) Government House
Government House serves as the official residence of the Chief Executive of Hong Kong. The structure was built in 1855 in the Colonial Renaissance style, but during the Japanese occupation it underwent significant remodeling. Today, the building displays a hybrid Japanese–Neoclassical appearance, featuring a tower and roof elements added in 1944 by Japanese architect Seichi Fujimura.
During British rule, Government House served as the official residence of the Governors of Hong Kong from 1855 to 1997. Of the 28 British Governors, 25 lived in the residence during their terms, making it one of the most historically symbolic sites of the colonial administration.
The structure has been extensively renovated in recent decades, and an elaborate koi pond has been added to its landscaped grounds. A lesser-known fact is that the garden occasionally opens to the public for special flower-viewing event.
During British rule, Government House served as the official residence of the Governors of Hong Kong from 1855 to 1997. Of the 28 British Governors, 25 lived in the residence during their terms, making it one of the most historically symbolic sites of the colonial administration.
The structure has been extensively renovated in recent decades, and an elaborate koi pond has been added to its landscaped grounds. A lesser-known fact is that the garden occasionally opens to the public for special flower-viewing event.
6) Old Dairy Farm Depot
The Old Dairy Farm Depot is one of Central’s most distinctive surviving colonial buildings, instantly recognizable by its red-and-white “blood and bandages” brickwork. Built in the 1890s as a low-rise cold-storage warehouse for Dairy Farm, it once handled ice, milk, meat, and even winter clothing at a time when refrigeration was still a luxury in Hong Kong. By the 1910s, the depot had expanded to include a dairy shop, meat-smoking rooms, offices, and a residence for the company’s general manager, eventually serving as Dairy Farm’s headquarters until the company relocated in the 1970s.
After a brief period of abandonment, the building found a new role in the 1980s. The Foreign Correspondents’ Club moved into the North Block, creating one of the city’s most storied private press clubs, while the Hong Kong Fringe Club transformed the South Block into a lively arts venue hosting exhibitions, concerts, theater, and cultural events.
Today, the Old Dairy Farm Depot stands as a rare low-rise survivor among Central’s towers. Its late Victorian eclectic architecture has earned it both Grade I historic status and a Hong Kong Heritage Award for conservation. While the FCC remains members-only, the Fringe Club offers regular public programs, making the depot a compelling stop for anyone interested in mixing heritage architecture with Hong Kong’s contemporary cultural scene.
After a brief period of abandonment, the building found a new role in the 1980s. The Foreign Correspondents’ Club moved into the North Block, creating one of the city’s most storied private press clubs, while the Hong Kong Fringe Club transformed the South Block into a lively arts venue hosting exhibitions, concerts, theater, and cultural events.
Today, the Old Dairy Farm Depot stands as a rare low-rise survivor among Central’s towers. Its late Victorian eclectic architecture has earned it both Grade I historic status and a Hong Kong Heritage Award for conservation. While the FCC remains members-only, the Fringe Club offers regular public programs, making the depot a compelling stop for anyone interested in mixing heritage architecture with Hong Kong’s contemporary cultural scene.
7) Central Magistracy
The Central Magistracy was completed in 1914, standing on the original site of the first Hong Kong Magistracy built by the British. That earlier structure, dating to around 1847, was one of the first government buildings erected after the British arrival in Hong Kong and was later demolished to make way for the new magistracy and its additional blocks.
The present building features a Greek Revival design, distinguished by its imposing façade and prominent pillars, giving it an overall majestic appearance. Its walls are constructed of granite blocks, and the inclusion of a basement in the new design—unusual for the time—caused considerable delays during construction. One lesser-known detail is that the building’s heavy classical style was chosen deliberately to convey the authority and stability of the colonial legal system.
The Central Magistracy, together with Victoria Prison and the Central Police Station, forms the historic Central Police Station Compound. The magistracy ceased judicial operations in 1978 and was subsequently used by the police for various administrative purposes. In the 2000s, the building was incorporated into the large-scale revitalization project that transformed the entire compound into Tai Kwun – Center for Heritage and Arts, which opened to the public in 2018.
Today, parts of the Central Magistracy’s interior are accessible as heritage exhibition spaces within Tai Kwun, allowing visitors to explore the building’s restored corridors and interpretive displays, while its exterior remains one of the finest examples of Greek Revival civic architecture in Central.
The present building features a Greek Revival design, distinguished by its imposing façade and prominent pillars, giving it an overall majestic appearance. Its walls are constructed of granite blocks, and the inclusion of a basement in the new design—unusual for the time—caused considerable delays during construction. One lesser-known detail is that the building’s heavy classical style was chosen deliberately to convey the authority and stability of the colonial legal system.
The Central Magistracy, together with Victoria Prison and the Central Police Station, forms the historic Central Police Station Compound. The magistracy ceased judicial operations in 1978 and was subsequently used by the police for various administrative purposes. In the 2000s, the building was incorporated into the large-scale revitalization project that transformed the entire compound into Tai Kwun – Center for Heritage and Arts, which opened to the public in 2018.
Today, parts of the Central Magistracy’s interior are accessible as heritage exhibition spaces within Tai Kwun, allowing visitors to explore the building’s restored corridors and interpretive displays, while its exterior remains one of the finest examples of Greek Revival civic architecture in Central.
8) Central Police Station
The Central Police Station occupies a site first developed in the mid-19th century after the arrival of the British. It became one of the earliest areas where colonial authorities established key institutions, forming a cluster that included the Central Police Station building, the Victoria Prison compound, and the Central Magistracy. Together, these structures shaped the administrative core of early Victoria City.
The oldest surviving element of the station is a three-story barrack block built in 1864 beside the Victoria Prison. This early block served as accommodation and workspace for officers stationed in the area. In 1905, it was expanded with a fourth story, and additional extensions followed between 1910 and 1925. These construction phases aligned with a period of rapid population growth, as large numbers of migrants arrived from mainland China and new police facilities were needed to support increased demands on law enforcement.
Throughout its history, the station underwent multiple rounds of modification, responding to social change, shifting policing methods, and the wider development of Central as Hong Kong’s commercial and civic hub. What began as a cluster of modest service buildings gradually evolved into a more substantial complex. The Central Police Station ultimately comprised seven blocks, each with its own function, and together they formed one of the territory’s most important government sites for more than a century.
The oldest surviving element of the station is a three-story barrack block built in 1864 beside the Victoria Prison. This early block served as accommodation and workspace for officers stationed in the area. In 1905, it was expanded with a fourth story, and additional extensions followed between 1910 and 1925. These construction phases aligned with a period of rapid population growth, as large numbers of migrants arrived from mainland China and new police facilities were needed to support increased demands on law enforcement.
Throughout its history, the station underwent multiple rounds of modification, responding to social change, shifting policing methods, and the wider development of Central as Hong Kong’s commercial and civic hub. What began as a cluster of modest service buildings gradually evolved into a more substantial complex. The Central Police Station ultimately comprised seven blocks, each with its own function, and together they formed one of the territory’s most important government sites for more than a century.
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