 Entrance of Battery Path, near the junction ofQueen's Road Central andIce House Street | |
 Interactive map of Battery Path | |
| Native name | 炮台里 (Yue Chinese) |
|---|---|
| Location | Central, Hong Kong |
| Coordinates | 22°16′47″N114°09′34″E / 22.27972°N 114.15944°E /22.27972; 114.15944 |
| West end | Queen's Road Central |
| East end | Garden Road |
| Construction | |
| Completion | 1841 |
| Battery Path | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chinese | 炮台里 | ||||||||||
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Battery Path (Chinese:炮台里) is apedestrian-only[1]footpath located beneathGovernment Hill inCentral, Hong Kong. Named afterMurray Battery, it stretches fromQueen's Road Central toGarden Road. The path is noted for many historical landmarks situated on it, most notably theFormer Central Government Offices, theFormer French Mission Building andSt. John's Cathedral.
During theFirst Opium War, theBritish occupiedHong Kong in 1841 and one year later, the territory was ceded to them in theTreaty of Nanking. The new administration chose the site around present-day Battery Path to build its headquarters and defences.[2] Construction on the path was completed in approximately 1841, at around the same time that its namesake—Murray Battery—was built.[3] At the time, both the path and the battery were located onHong Kong Island's waterfront withVictoria Harbour.[4] However, it is now situated much farther inland due to the amount ofland reclamation that has been undertaken since its opening.[1]
During the early twentieth century, the path was popular with and frequented daily bysedan chair drivers, who would take advantage of the shade provided by thebanyan that lined the sides of the road.[3] Although the use of sedan chairs ceased after the 1960s, the trees remain in the same place.[1][3]
From its western end, Battery Path begins at the junction betweenQueen's Road Central[5] andIce House Street.[3] It separates from the main thoroughfare through a series of stairs elevating the path above Queen's Road;[5] the stairs are located next to the West Wing of theFormer Central Government Offices. The next landmark on the route is theFormer French Mission Building. Located on 1 Battery Path, thisneoclassical building currently houses theCourt of Final Appeal.[6] The path ends at theintersection withGarden Road, whereSt. John's Cathedral is located.[5]
Media related toBattery Path at Wikimedia Commons
