Residence

Former ‘Darkest Settlement’ Kowloon Walled‍ City Demolished,⁢ Now a Public Park

Hong kong ⁤ – ⁤Once a notorious, lawless enclave, Kowloon Walled ⁤City has been transformed from the world’s most densely ​populated settlement into a public ⁤park, preserving remnants of its unique ‍history. The city,which existed for over a century,was finally demolished between March⁣ 1993 and April‍ 1994 after decades of neglect and escalating concerns over public health and safety.

Originally ‌a Chinese military garrison, the Walled City grew into a self-governing, virtually⁢ unregulated ⁤area after the British ‌and Chinese governments effectively⁢ ceded control.By the 1980s, approximately 35,000 people lived within its confines, packed⁣ into a labyrinthine network of ​interconnected buildings.

The city’s growth was organic and chaotic. ‍In⁣ the⁤ 1950s, ‍homes were typically semi-permanent structures of one or two floors. By the 1960s, concrete⁢ buildings of four to five stories began to appear. The 1970s ⁢saw structures exceeding ten floors, built so closely ⁤together⁣ that windows ⁢often​ faced directly into neighboring walls.

This unchecked progress fostered a breeding ground ⁤for​ criminal activity.⁤ Kowloon Walled City ‍became ‌infamous as a ‌haven​ for drug⁤ factories and feared gangsters. Simultaneously, it supported a thriving informal economy, with numerous home-based factories producing toys, plastics, and food to sustain residents.

Growing⁤ concerns over health, fire hazards, and air pollution ⁣prompted the British government to approve ⁣demolition plans in January 1987, following⁢ an agreement to⁤ return Hong Kong ⁣to China. Despite initial resistance from residents, the demolition proceeded, with ​all inhabitants relocated and compensated.

Today, the site is Kowloon walled City ​Park. ⁣Preserved within the park are‍ remnants of the original city, including the Yamen Building, constructed in​ the⁢ 1800s and now serving ​as a military headquarters, and restored sections of the original southern entrance gates.