Victoria Peak
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- For other places with the same name, see Victoria Peak (disambiguation).
Victoria Peak (Chinese: 太平山頂 [See also the alternative Chinese names]) is a mountain in Hong Kong, China. It is also known as The Peak locally , and Mount Austin in some maps or documents. The mountain is located in the southwestern part of the Hong Kong Island. With an altitude of 552 m, it is the highest mountain on the island and the 11th highest in the entire territory of Hong Kong.
With about six million visitors every year, the Peak is the biggest tourist attraction in Hong Kong. It offers spectacular views of the city and bay. One can see the Kowloon Peninsula from the Peak Tower at Victoria Gap.
It is home to a wealth of bird life, most prominently the Black kite, and also to an amazing array of butterflies. To the local social life of Hong Kong it offers many semi-secluded park benches that on a sunny day are favourite spots for young romantic couples.
The Peak area, covering the Peak, Victoria Gap, Mount Kellet, Jardine's Corner, Mount Gough, Plantation Road, is also home to some of Hong Kong's wealthiest residents.
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[edit] Alternative Chinese names
| Name | Mandarin Pinyin | Cantonese Jyutping | Etymology |
|---|---|---|---|
| 太平山頂 | Tài Píng Shān Dǐng | tai3 ping4 saan1 deng2 | literally means "pacific mountain peak" |
| 山頂 | Shān Dǐng | saan1 deng2 | corresponds to the English name "The Peak" |
| 扯旗山 | Chě Qí Shān | ce2 kei4 saan1 | literally means "flag-raising mountain" |
| 爐峰 | Lú Fēng | lou4 fung1 | literally means "furnance peak" |
| 維多利亞山 | Wéi Duō Lì Yà Shān | wai4 do1 lei6 aa3 saan1 | A phonetic transliteration of the English name "Victoria Peak" |
| 柯士甸山 | Kē Shì Diàn Shān | o1 si6 din1 saan1 | A phonetic transliteration of the English name "Mount Austin" |
[edit] Peak Tower
The Peak Tower is located at Victoria Gap, and houses the upper terminus of the Peak Tram. It is not located at the top of Victoria Peak, but at an elevation of 396 m. Because the architects sought a design which would be prominent on the skyline but would not interrupt the natural line of the hills, they chose a site in a dip along the line of the hills, and restricted the tower's height to 428 m above sea level.
The Peak Tower was designed by the British architect Terry Farrell. It has seven floors with a total area of 10,400 m² (112,000 ft²) in a wok shape. There is a viewing platform on the third floor.
In 1997 Peak Tower was redeveloped with new attractions including Ripley's Believe It or Not! Odditorium, Hong Kong's Historical Adventure (a journey through scenes of the Hong Kong's early history, and the first computer-operated entertainment ride in Hong Kong), Madame Tussaud's (a branch of London's famous wax museum) and the Peak Explorer Motion Simulator. The Peak Tower also houses many gift shops selling Chinese arts and crafts, cosmetics, books, and other souvenirs. There is also a popular Park'n'Shop supermarket for locals in the area. The Peak Tower was remodeled again in 2006 and a few more shops and attractions were added.
[edit] Restaurants
There are several restaurants on Victoria Peak.
The Peak Lookout Restaurant originally was a rooming house and working area for British engineers working on the Peak Tramway. In 1901 it was rebuilt to become a stopping area for private or public sedan chairs. The facility was rebuilt as a restaurant in 1947.
Other restaurants include L16 Restaurant and Cafe Deco.
[edit] Transportation
The Peak Tram is a funicular railway that provides access to the Peak and surrounding areas. The Peak is also accessible by public bus, by taxi or private car, or on foot.
[edit] See also
- List of mountains, peaks and hills in Hong Kong
- List of buildings, sites and areas in Hong Kong
- Tourism in Hong Kong
- List of places named after Queen Victoria
