Nathan Road, Hong Kong
Encyclopedia
Nathan Road is the main thoroughfare in Kowloon
, Hong Kong
that goes in a south-north direction from Tsim Sha Tsui
to Mong Kok
. It is lined with shops and restaurants and throngs with tourists, and was known in the post-World War II
years as the Golden Mile
, a name that is now rarely used. It starts on the southern part of Kowloon at its junction with Salisbury Road
, a few metres north of Victoria Harbour
, and ends at its intersection with Boundary Street
in the north. Portions of the Kwun Tong and Tsuen Wan Lines run underneath Nathan Road.
The first section of the road was completed in 1861. It was the very first road built in Kowloon, after the land was ceded
by the then Qing Dynasty
government to the United Kingdom
and made part of the crown colony in 1860. The road was originally named Robinson Road, after Sir Hercules Robinson
, the 5th Governor of Hong Kong
. To avoid confusion with the Robinson Road
on Hong Kong Island
, the name was changed to Nathan Road in 1909, after Sir Matthew Nathan
, the 13th Governor who served between 1904 and 1907.
The early Nathan Road was largely residential, with colonial-style houses with arched verandahs and covered archways. It was home to the Whitfield Barracks
, which later became Kowloon Park
. Saint Andrew's Church
, the oldest Anglican church in Kowloon, has been located there since its completion in 1906.
The section of the road from Gascoigne Road
to Argyle Street
was originally named Coronation Road (加冕道), in honour of the coronation
of King George V
in 1911. The road was renamed as part of Nathan Road in 1926, after works joining the road and Nathan Road was completed. The section of Tai Po Road
south of Boundary Street
was also renamed as part of the road.
In 1996, the Garley Building fire broke out, killing 41 people. In 2008, the Cornwall Court fire
broke out, involving more than 200 firefighters, leaving 4 dead, including 2 fire fighters.
area, Nathan Road is served by five stations of the Mass Transit Railway
(MTR). These stations are from North to South:
Kowloon
Kowloon is an urban area in Hong Kong comprising the Kowloon Peninsula and New Kowloon. It is bordered by the Lei Yue Mun strait in the east, Mei Foo Sun Chuen and Stonecutter's Island in the west, Tate's Cairn and Lion Rock in the north, and Victoria Harbour in the south. It had a population of...
, Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
that goes in a south-north direction from Tsim Sha Tsui
Tsim Sha Tsui
Tsim Sha Tsui , often abbreviated as TST, is an urbanized area in southern Kowloon, Hong Kong. The area is administratively part of the Yau Tsim Mong District. Tsim Sha Tsui East is a piece of land reclaimed from the Hung Hom Bay now east of Tsim Sha Tsui...
to Mong Kok
Mong Kok
Mong Kok , less often known as Argyle , is an area in the Yau Tsim Mong District on Kowloon Peninsula, Hong Kong...
. It is lined with shops and restaurants and throngs with tourists, and was known in the post-World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
years as the Golden Mile
Golden Mile
There are many geographical features called the "Golden Mile":* The Golden Mile, Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom * The Golden Mile, Blackpool, UK* The Golden Mile, Brentford, UK* The Golden Mile, Great Yarmouth, UK* The Golden Mile, Leicester, UK...
, a name that is now rarely used. It starts on the southern part of Kowloon at its junction with Salisbury Road
Salisbury Road, Hong Kong
Salisbury Road is a major road in Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong. It runs parallel to Victoria Harbour, starting from its western end at the Star Ferry Pier, passing by Blackhead Point, to Tsim Sha Tsui East...
, a few metres north of Victoria Harbour
Victoria Harbour
Victoria Harbour is a natural landform harbour situated between Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon Peninsula in Hong Kong. The harbour's deep, sheltered waters and strategic location on the South China Sea were instrumental in Hong Kong's establishment as a British colony and its subsequent...
, and ends at its intersection with Boundary Street
Boundary Street
[[Image:Boundary st hongkong.JPG|thumb|right|250px|Boundary Street near [[Kowloon Tong]]Boundary Street is a three-lane one-way street in [[Kowloon]], [[Hong Kong]]...
in the north. Portions of the Kwun Tong and Tsuen Wan Lines run underneath Nathan Road.
History
Convention of Peking
The Convention of Peking or the First Convention of Peking is the name used for three different unequal treaties, which were concluded between Qing China and the United Kingdom, France, and Russia.-Background:...
by the then Qing Dynasty
Qing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
government to the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and made part of the crown colony in 1860. The road was originally named Robinson Road, after Sir Hercules Robinson
Hercules Robinson, 1st Baron Rosmead
Hercules George Robert Robinson, 1st Baron Rosmead, GCMG, PC was a British colonial administrator who became the 5th Governor of Hong Kong...
, the 5th Governor of Hong Kong
Governor of Hong Kong
The Governor of Hong Kong was the head of the government of Hong Kong during British rule from 1843 to 1997. The governor's roles were defined in the Hong Kong Letters Patent and Royal Instructions...
. To avoid confusion with the Robinson Road
Robinson Road, Hong Kong
Robinson Road is a 2-lane, bi-directional road on the Mid-levels, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. In the east, it is connected with the Magazine Gap Road and Garden Road, and in the west with Babington Road and Park Road, Robinson Road is quite long. With Central-Mid-Levels escalator, it also...
on Hong Kong Island
Hong Kong Island
Hong Kong Island is an island in the southern part of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. It has a population of 1,289,500 and its population density is 16,390/km², as of 2008...
, the name was changed to Nathan Road in 1909, after Sir Matthew Nathan
Matthew Nathan
Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Matthew Nathan GCMG, PC was a British soldier and civil servant, who variously served as the Governor of Sierra Leone, Gold Coast, Hong Kong, Natal and Queensland...
, the 13th Governor who served between 1904 and 1907.
The early Nathan Road was largely residential, with colonial-style houses with arched verandahs and covered archways. It was home to the Whitfield Barracks
Whitfield Barracks
Whitfield Barracks were barracks in Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong. The area is now the site of Kowloon Park, where several reconverted buildings remain.It was named after Henry Wase Whitfield, the commander of British Army in Hong Kong.-History:...
, which later became Kowloon Park
Kowloon Park
Kowloon Park is a large public park in Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon Peninsula, Hong Kong. It is managed by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department.-History:...
. Saint Andrew's Church
St. Andrew's Church (Kowloon)
St. Andrew's Church is located on 138 Nathan Road, Kowloon. It is a church of the Anglican Province of Hong Kong and in the Diocese of Western Kowloon. It is the oldest Protestant church in Kowloon. The church provides many services on Sundays...
, the oldest Anglican church in Kowloon, has been located there since its completion in 1906.
The section of the road from Gascoigne Road
Gascoigne Road
Gascoigne Road is a main road in Kowloon, Hong Kong, going through the head of King's Park and leading vehicles from West Kowloon to the Cross-Harbour Tunnel, name after William Julius Gascoigne....
to Argyle Street
Argyle Street, Hong Kong
Argyle Street is a four-lane dual-way thoroughfare in Hong Kong, connecting Mong Kok, Ma Tau Wai and Kowloon City. It runs on an east-west alignment starting at its intersection with Cherry Street, Ferry Street and Tong Mi Road in the west, and ending near the former Kai Tak Airport in the east.The...
was originally named Coronation Road (加冕道), in honour of the coronation
Coronation
A coronation is a ceremony marking the formal investiture of a monarch and/or their consort with regal power, usually involving the placement of a crown upon their head and the presentation of other items of regalia...
of King George V
George V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
in 1911. The road was renamed as part of Nathan Road in 1926, after works joining the road and Nathan Road was completed. The section of Tai Po Road
Tai Po Road
Tai Po Road is the second longest road in Hong Kong . It spans from Sham Shui Po in Kowloon to Tai Po in the New Territories of Hong Kong. Initially, the road was named Frontier Road....
south of Boundary Street
Boundary Street
[[Image:Boundary st hongkong.JPG|thumb|right|250px|Boundary Street near [[Kowloon Tong]]Boundary Street is a three-lane one-way street in [[Kowloon]], [[Hong Kong]]...
was also renamed as part of the road.
In 1996, the Garley Building fire broke out, killing 41 people. In 2008, the Cornwall Court fire
Cornwall Court fire
The Cornwall Court Fire was a building fire incident in Hong Kong. It began in a nightclub and karaoke bar on the morning of Sunday 10 August 2008, taking the lives of four people, including two firefighters, and injuring a further 55 people.- Incident :...
broke out, involving more than 200 firefighters, leaving 4 dead, including 2 fire fighters.
Some buildings and landmarks along the road
- The Peninsula HotelThe Peninsula Hong KongThe Peninsula Hong Kong is one of the most internationally recognizable hotels in Hong Kong. Opened in 1928, it is Hong Kong's most historical hotel. It is located at the junction of Nathan Road and Salisbury Road in Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong...
(corner of Salisbury RoadSalisbury Road, Hong KongSalisbury Road is a major road in Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong. It runs parallel to Victoria Harbour, starting from its western end at the Star Ferry Pier, passing by Blackhead Point, to Tsim Sha Tsui East...
and Nathan Road) - Chungking MansionsChungking MansionsChungking Mansions, is a building located at 36–44 Nathan Road in Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong. The building is well known as nearly the cheapest accommodation in Hong Kong. Though the building is supposedly residential, it is made up of many independent low-budget hotels, shops, and other...
(#36-44) - iSQUAREISQUAREiSQUARE is a 31-story high shopping mall located at 63 Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong, on the former site of the Hyatt Regency Hotel. It was developed by Associated International Hotels Ltd.-Introduction:...
(#63) - Kowloon ParkKowloon ParkKowloon Park is a large public park in Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon Peninsula, Hong Kong. It is managed by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department.-History:...
- Park Lane Shopper's Boulevard
- The ONEThe One-Philosophy:The concept of "Τὸ Ἕν" in Hellenistic philosophy:*God*the Monad *the Absolute *The Good*The All*See also Henosis -Books, magazines and comics:...
, at the location of the former Tung Ying BuildingTung Ying Buildingright|thumb|250px|Tung Ying Building in 2006.right|thumb|250px|After demolition.Tung Ying Building was a 17-storey office building and shopping centre at 100 Nathan Road, at the corner of Granville Road in Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong....
(#100) - Kowloon Masjid and Islamic CentreKowloon Masjid and Islamic CentreKowloon Masjid and Islamic Centre or Kowloon Mosque and Islamic Centre is one of the four principal mosques in Hong Kong. Located in Kowloon at the corner of Nathan Road and Haiphong Road next to Kowloon Park, the Mosque is currently the largest Islamic house of worship in the city...
(#105) - The Mira Hong KongThe Mira Hong KongThe Mira Hotel is an upscale hotel located in Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong.The hotel is owned by Miramar Hotel and Investment. It was designed by architect Edmond Wong, interiors were designed by "lifestyle guru" Colin Cowie.-History:...
(#118) - Miramar Shopping CentreMiramar Shopping CentreMiramar Shopping Centre is a shopping centre in Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong. It is located at 132-134 Nathan Road, at the corner with Kimberley Road. It has 6 retail floors, a 7-level annexed podium and 400,000sq.ft...
(#132-134) - Former Kowloon British SchoolFormer Kowloon British SchoolThe building of Former Kowloon British School is located 136, Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong.-History:It is the oldest surviving school building which is constructed for children of overseas parents living in Hong Kong. In 1900, Mr. Ho Tung donated $15,000 to the Government to set...
(#136). Now houses the Antiquities and Monuments OfficeAntiquities and Monuments OfficeAntiquities and Monuments Office was established when the Antiquities and Monuments Ordinance was enacted in 1976, to preserve Hong Kong's monuments under appropriate protection.... - St. Andrew's Church (Kowloon)St. Andrew's Church (Kowloon)St. Andrew's Church is located on 138 Nathan Road, Kowloon. It is a church of the Anglican Province of Hong Kong and in the Diocese of Western Kowloon. It is the oldest Protestant church in Kowloon. The church provides many services on Sundays...
(#138) - Garley BuildingGarley BuildingThe 1996 Garley building fire was a fire incident that took place on 20 November 1996 in the 16-story Garley commercial building located at 233-239 Nathan Road, in Jordan, Hong Kong. It was a catastrophe that caused the loss of 41 lives and 81 injuries. It is considered the worst building fire in...
(#233-239, destroyed by fire in 1996) - Manulife Provident Funds Place aka. Wing OnWing OnWing On is a department store company in Hong Kong.The company is currently owned by a Hong Kong listed company Wing On Company International Limited , incorporated in Bermuda...
Kowloon Center (#345) - Novotel Nathan Road Kowloon Hong KongNovotel Nathan Road Kowloon Hong KongNovotel Nathan Road Kowloon Hong Kong is a 4-star hotel in Hong Kong. The hotel is the first signature Novotelto be created under the brand's "natural living" design perspective...
(#348) - Eaton Hotel Hong KongEaton Hotel Hong KongEaton Hotel Hong Kong is a four-star hotel in Hong Kong. It is owned and managed by Langham Hotels International, which is a subsidiary of Hong Kong-based Great Eagle Holdings Limited...
(#380) - Kowloon Central Post OfficeKowloon Central Post OfficeKowloon Central Post Office is the main post office in Kowloon, Hong Kong. It is located at 405 Nathan Road, Yau Ma Tei, just beneath the Kowloon Government Offices.-References:...
(#405) - Sino CentreSino CentreSino Centre is a shopping centre at 582-592 Nathan Road in Mong Kok, Hong Kong. The shops in the centre mainly sell comics, Japanese magazines, records, sports equipment, watches, toys, and other goods favoured by youth since 1980s....
(#582-592) - Cornwall Court (#687-689). Site of the 2008 Cornwall Court fireCornwall Court fireThe Cornwall Court Fire was a building fire incident in Hong Kong. It began in a nightclub and karaoke bar on the morning of Sunday 10 August 2008, taking the lives of four people, including two firefighters, and injuring a further 55 people.- Incident :...
Public transport
As a major road in the KowloonKowloon
Kowloon is an urban area in Hong Kong comprising the Kowloon Peninsula and New Kowloon. It is bordered by the Lei Yue Mun strait in the east, Mei Foo Sun Chuen and Stonecutter's Island in the west, Tate's Cairn and Lion Rock in the north, and Victoria Harbour in the south. It had a population of...
area, Nathan Road is served by five stations of the Mass Transit Railway
MTR
Mass Transit Railway is the rapid transit railway system in Hong Kong. Originally opened in 1979, the system now includes 211.6 km of rail with 155 stations, including 86 railway stations and 69 light rail stops...
(MTR). These stations are from North to South:
- Prince Edward Station in Prince EdwardPrince Edward, Hong KongPrince Edward is an area in northern Kowloon, Hong Kong. It is adjacent to the Prince Edward Station of the MTR rapid transit system in Mong Kok. It is administratively under the Yau Tsim Mong District. It was named after the namesake road. It contains the northern end of Nathan Road. Strictly...
, at the intersection between Nathan Road and Prince Edward Road WestPrince Edward RoadPrince Edward Road East and Prince Edward Road West are roads in Kowloon, Hong Kong, going in an east-west direction and linking Tai Kok Tsui, Mong Kok, Kowloon Tong, Kowloon City and San Po Kong .... - Mong Kok Station (or Argyle Station) in Mong KokMong KokMong Kok , less often known as Argyle , is an area in the Yau Tsim Mong District on Kowloon Peninsula, Hong Kong...
, at the intersection between Nathan Road and Argyle StreetArgyle Street, Hong KongArgyle Street is a four-lane dual-way thoroughfare in Hong Kong, connecting Mong Kok, Ma Tau Wai and Kowloon City. It runs on an east-west alignment starting at its intersection with Cherry Street, Ferry Street and Tong Mi Road in the west, and ending near the former Kai Tak Airport in the east.The... - Yau Ma Tei Station (or Waterloo Station) in Yau Ma TeiYau Ma TeiYau Ma Tei, also known as Waterloo , is an area in the Yau Tsim Mong District in the south of the Kowloon Peninsula in Hong Kong.-Name:Yau Ma Tei is a phonetic transliteration of the name 油麻地 in Cantonese...
, at the intersection between Nathan Road and Waterloo Road - Jordan Station in JordanJordan, Hong KongJordan is an area in the Yau Tsim Mong District of Hong Kong. The unofficial area is named after a road of the same name.-Geography:Jordan is located in the central part of the Yau Tsim Mong District, as suggested by the name of some bus stops nearby...
, at the intersection between Nathan Road and Jordan Road - Tsim Sha Tsui Station in Tsim Sha TsuiTsim Sha TsuiTsim Sha Tsui , often abbreviated as TST, is an urbanized area in southern Kowloon, Hong Kong. The area is administratively part of the Yau Tsim Mong District. Tsim Sha Tsui East is a piece of land reclaimed from the Hung Hom Bay now east of Tsim Sha Tsui...
, at the southern end of Nathan Road
See also
- Yau Tsim Mong DistrictYau Tsim Mong DistrictYau Tsim Mong District is one of 18 districts of Hong Kong, located on western Kowloon peninsula. It is the core urban area of Kowloon. The district has the third highest population density of all districts...
- List of streets and roads in Hong Kong
- List of leading shopping streets and districts by city