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French edifices across Hong Kong tell century-old stories

The Young Reporter (2008, December), 41(03), pp. 12.
Author: Kelvin Chan Mankey. Photographer: Kelvin Chan Mankey. Editor: Karen Ho Chui-ying.
Permanent URL - https://sys01.lib.hkbu.edu.hk/bujspa/purl.php?&did=bujspa0007459

As a colony ruled by a western country for more than a hundred years, Hong Kong is a place with unique East-meets-West culture. European style architectures bloomed in the mid-19th century and at that time, Hong Kong was much alike a European city.

Since the establishment of Trench consular representation in Hong Kong in 1848, Trench buildings have started to appear in the city. The imposing architectures were functionally different from their European counterparts, Most of them were built by French religious bodies for social welfare such as sanatoriums, orphanages, chapels and monasteries, giving the local community a chance to meet western civilisation.

However, in recent decades, along with rapid urban development and redevelopment projects, some heritages have been cleared Only few historic Trench designed buildings are still standing today. They are either declared a monument or redecorated and used for other purposes.

Photographed and written by Kelvin Chan Mankey Edited by Karen Ho Chui-ying

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