iSurprise Kowloon Walled City Park

You are now standing in what once was the middle of the Kowloon Walled City. This city was run by triads: a haven for brothels, casinos and unlicensed dentists. It was dubbed 'The City of Twilight' because no sunlight could penetrate the unauthorised structures stacked like Lego blocks. Or, in the words of Sir Alexander Grantham, Hong Kong's Governor from 1947 to 1957, "A cesspool of iniquity, with heroin divans, brothels and everything unsavoury."

In its heyday, over 30,000 people lived here in 8,800 structures on a site measuring 2.5 hectares, less than 4 football pitches.

For 80 years, the Walled City survived several attempts to knock it down. In the years leading up to the Hong Kong handover, the two governments agreed on a final verdict to clear the site. And so, it happened; there was no more escaping the wrecking ball. In 1993, residents were evicted and paid generous compensation. The legendary Kowloon Walled City was bulldozed and transformed into a park.