SPD 3159 / SPD3159 Hong Kong Key Heritage: Historical

2010年10月22日星期五

C@The Hong Kong Observatory

What I want to introduce today is Hong Kong Observatory .Hong Kong Observatory known as the Royal Observatory Hong Kong before 1997, is a department of the Hong Kong Government. The Observatory forecasts weather and issues warnings on weather-related hazards.

The Observatory was established in 1883 by the 9th Governor of Hong Kong George Bowen. Early operations included meteorological and magnetic observations.The Hong Kong Observatory was built in Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon Peninsula in 1883. Observatory Road in Tsim Sha Tsui is so named based on this landmark. The Observatory is now surrounded by skyscrapers as a result of rapid urbanisation. However, it remains unrelocated.

Hong Kong Observatory (134A Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui)

Hong Kong Observatory (134A Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui)

1883 Building
This building, built in 1883, is a rectangular two-storey plastered brick structure; it is characterised by arched windows and long verandas. It now houses the office of the directorate and to serve as a centre of administration of the Observatory.

The Friends of the Observatory, an interest group set up in 1996 to help the Observatory to promote Hong Kong Observatory and its services to the public, provide science extension activities in relation to the works of the Observatory and foster communication between the Observatory and the public, now has more than 7,000 individual and family members in total.
Voluntary docents from this interest group lead a "HKO Guided Tour" to let the public who applied for visit in advance to visit the headquarter of the Observatory, and learn about the history, environment and meteorological science applied by the Observatory.

Address: 134A Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui

Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hong_Kong_Observatory
www.weather.gov.hk/contente.htm
www.heritage.gov.hk/en/index.htm

2010年10月13日星期三

C@Lung Yeuk Tau Heritage Trail

Hey... Do you remember what my last blog was? This is about the Lo Wai Wall and at the end of my blog was introduced you a heritage trail. Now I would like to introduce the trail for you -- Lung Yeuk Tau Heritage Trail (1.8km).

Located just outside Fanling in the North East New Territories, the Lung Yeuk Tau Heritage Trail was opened in 1999. The name Lung Yeuk Tau was derived from the nearby mountain range Lung Yeuk Ling (Mountain of the Leaping Dragon) whose name came from the legendary saying that there was once a dragon leaping in the area.

I would like to introduce some of the major sights on the Heritage Trail.

TSUNG KYAM CHURCH - built 1926 is a church of the Basel Mission and was extended in 1951. A village gradually developed around the church and two old houses named “Kin Tak Lau” still survive today. The church is a private property and not open to the public.

Many traditional Chinese buildings and structures such as temples and ancestral halls, walls and entrance gates of walled villages and residences still retain their original appearance and can be visited along the trail.

TANG CHUNG LING ANCESTRAL HALL – the main ancestral hall of the Tang Clan of Lung Yeuk Tau was built in the early 16th century in memory of Tang Chung Ling, the founding ancestor. It is a three-hall building exquisitely decorated with fine wood carvings, polychrome plaster moldings and murals of auspicious motifs fully reflecting the superb craftsmanship of the old days. Open daily 9am to 5pm (closed 1pm to 2pm for lunch), except Tuesdays, Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year’s Day and the first three days of Lunar New Year.

TIN HAU TEMPLE – adjacent to the Tang Ling Ancestral Hall and devoted to the worship of Tin Hau and her guards Chin Lei Ngan and Shun Fung Yi. There are two bronze bells, cast in 1695 and 1700, placed on the floor of the chamber alongside the main hall. The date of construction of the temple is unknown but it was restored in 1913 and again in 1981.