Connaught Road

Connaught Road is a major thoroughfare on the north shore of Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. It links Shing Sai Road in Kennedy Town to the west and Harcourt Road in Admiralty to the east.

This article is about the road in Hong Kong. For the disused railway station in London, see Connaught Road railway station. For the proposed Docklands Light Railway station in London, see Connaught Road DLR station.

Connaught Road
Connaught Road Central at night, with Exchange Square on the left
Traditional Chinese干諾道
Simplified Chinese干诺道
1911 map showing Connaught Road on the Central Waterfront
Connaght Road Central c.1923
Connaught Road in the 1930s

Location

The road consists of two adjoining sections, namely Connaught Road Central (干諾道中) and Connaught Road West (干諾道西).

Connaught Road Central runs the length of Central, parallel to the north shore. It runs from approximately Admiralty in the east, where it connects Harcourt Road at the junction with Murray Road. The road ends west on Tai Street, where it becomes Connaught Road West.

Connaught Road West runs towards the Kennedy Town and Pok Fu Lam areas in the west. For most of the stretch, Connaught Road West runs beneath the Connaught Road West Flyover, (Route 4). It is the main thoroughfare to the entrance of the Western Harbour Crossing and beyond to Shek Tong Tsui, where it merges with Des Voeux Road West.

History

This road was once a waterfront promenade with boats docked against the northern side of the road. In 1889, the north shore of Victoria City was under extensive reclamation. In 1890, Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn visited Hong Kong, when Francis Fleming, the then acting governor announced a new road to be constructed in front of the old "Bowring Praya" (present day Des Voeux Road). This newly constructed road was then named Connaught Road, after the prince.[1] A statue of the Duke once also occupied the junction of Pedder Street.[1]

Connaught Road West was lined with many piers in the past. Rice wholesalers gathered there owing to its proximity to the shore. Due to reclamation of the harbour, the entire length of Connaught Road has now become landlocked.

Structures along Connaught Road
  • Connaught Road frontage of Chater House
  • AIG Tower, 1 Connaught Road Central
  • The Mandarin Oriental Hotel
  • Statue Square abuts Connaught Road
  • The Hong Kong Club Building's frontage on Connaught Road
  • City Hall facing Connaught Road
  • Henry Moore's sculpture, Connaught Place
  • The Central Elevated Walkway crosses Connaught Road
  • Connaught Road, looking west (1IFC on the right)
  • New Headquarters of the Hang Seng Bank
  • Connaught Road West Flyover leading up to the Shun Tak Centre (background)
  • Wing On House (middle); the two buildings to the right are the old and new headquarters of Hang Seng Bank
  • ChinaChem Plaza and the China Insurance Group Building are both on Connaught Road Central
  • Connaught Road West at night

See also

References
  1. Wordie, Jason (18 April 1999). "Land-grabbing titans who changed HK's profit for good". The Standard. Archived from the original on 22 May 2011. Retrieved 4 December 2011.
Preceded by
Harcourt Road		 Hong Kong Route 4

Connaught Road Central		 Succeeded by
Connaught Road West
Preceded by
Connaught Road Central		 Hong Kong Route 4

Connaught Road West		 Succeeded by
Western Terminus

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