Description of the attraction
Sheng Wan is an area in Hong Kong located in the northwestern part of the island, between Central and Sai In Poon. Administratively, it is part of the Central and Western District. Its name is interpreted in different ways - either the Upper District, or the area of the pier (possibly associated with the place where the British first landed).
Sheng Wan was one of the earliest British settlements and belonged to the historic city of Victoria. The first estate occupied by British forces in 1842 was between Queen Road and Hollywood Road, as evidenced by a sign in Hollywood Road Park at the top of the street.
The Western, or West Market, built in 1991 and converted into a shopping mall, is a modern building with shops selling arts and crafts and textiles. Merchants are shop owners that were originally located in the old alleys of the Central area. The current building is located on the site of the northern part of the Western Market, created in September 1844. It consisted of two separate blocks - the South (demolished) and the North quarters. The South Block on Queen Road was built in 1858, traders were evicted in 1980 and the market was demolished. The northern quarter is somewhat compacted, preserved and renovated by the land development corporation.
The surviving old edwardian-style Queen Anne building was erected in 1906 for the needs of the food market, which it was until 1988. The building was damaged during the construction of the Sheng metro line, and reconstruction work was carried out later. In 1990, the building was declared a historical monument, renovated and opened as the West Market in 1991.
The four-storey building is made of red brick, the masonry of the four corner towers is interspersed with white stone, giving a polychrome effect, the entrance is decorated with a massive granite arch. The building was once blue, but was later repainted red to match the architectural style.
Today, Sheng Wan Western Market is a fine example of Hong Kong's colonial past.
