Victoria Park (Hong Kong)
Coordinates: 22 ° 16 '54.2 " N , 114 ° 11' 20.1" E
The Victoria Park ( Chinese 維多利亞公園 / 维多利亚公园 , Pinyin Weiduoliya Gōngyuán , Jyutping Wai 4 do 1 lei 6 aa 3 Gung 1 Jyun 2 , in short 維園 / 维园 , Weiyuan , Jyutping Wai 4 Jyun 2 ) is a park in Hong Kong who was named after Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom . It is located in Causeway Bay in the north of the island of Hong Kong , between the MTR stations " Causeway Bay " and "Tin Hau". It is part of the Eastern District along the border with the Wan Chai District . It borders Victoria Harbor to the north and the Hong Kong Central Library to the south.
history
Originally the area of today's Victoria Park was part of Victoria Harbor and at this point there was a so-called Typhoon Shelter , in which fishing boats and yachts could take shelter from typhoons . In the 1950s the area was reclaimed from the sea and the park was established there. The Typhoon Shelter has been moved further north.
The park has long been a meeting place for foreign servants , typically women, who usually gather there on Sundays, their usual day off. These are primarily women from Indonesia and the Philippines .
particularities
There is a statue of Queen Victoria at the main entrance to the park on Causeway Road . This statue was made in Pimlico, London and was originally located in Statue Square in Central . During the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong during World War II , it was brought to Japan to be melted down along with other statues in the square. After the war the statues were brought back to Hong Kong and in 1952 Queen Victoria's statue was restored and placed in Victoria Park.
The park offers tennis courts , a swimming pool , roller skating rink and other sports facilities , a central lawn area and children's play areas . There are also a number of water basins that are used, among other things, to drive remote-controlled model boats on them.
An international tennis tournament, the WTA Hong Kong, is held in this park .
Events
Trade fairs and exhibitions
Every year before the Chinese New Year , the “New Year's Market ” ( 年宵 市場 / 年宵 市场 , English Lunar New Year Fair , coll .: 年宵 花市 - “Flower Market for the Chinese New Year”) takes place in Victoria Park , comparable to a Christmas market . Other major events are the "Hong Kong Fair for Labels and Products" ( 香港 國際 工業 出品 展銷會 / 香港 国际 工业 出品 展销会 , kurz 展會 / 工 展会 , English Hong Kong Brands and Products Expo ) and the Hong Kong Flower Show ( 香港花卉 展覽 / 香港 花卉 展览 , English Hong Kong Flower Show ).
Political gatherings
Since 1990, every year gather on June 4, thousands people to the massacre in Tiananmen Square from the year 1989 to commemorate. Furthermore, the park is often used as a meeting place and starting point for demonstrations.
City Forum
The City Forum ( 城市論壇 / 城市论坛 , Chengshi Luntan , Jyutping Sing 4 si 5 Leon 6 taan 4 ) is organized and transmitted by RTHK and always finds Sundays at Victoria Park. It offers politicians, academics and other prominent personalities a platform to discuss current political and social issues.
Web links
- Victoria Park official website (English)