Causeway Bay, one of the most iconic vicinities in Hong Kong, is located to the East of the Wan Chai and central districts of the Hong Kong Island. In the modern age, it is one of the citys main shopping districts and a popular social spot among young people, as it includes independent and unusual fashion boutiques, and most of these are on the street instead of in shopping malls like the spacious Times Square. There are also a number of tourist attractions such as the large Victoria Park, which contains a tennis court, bike track and a playground; Fashion Walk at Times Square and the market near Jardine's Crescent. But the key attraction for a long time has been the Noon Day Gun situated on the waterfront facing the Excelsior Hotel built in 1901 by Hotchkiss of Portsmouth. The story behind this naval cannons firing is a very interesting one.
Jardine and Matheson, one of the most prominent companies of Hong Kong in the early 1900s, had an obsessive employee who had fired the gun with the purpose of saluting a sailing ship belonging to the company. But gun salutes were theoretically the Governors sole privilege and firing wasnt allowed without his permission. So after this incident occurred ,which enraged him to a great extent, he decided that the gun be fired at noon everyday as well as on midnight on New Years Eve. So ever since then, a gunner fires a shot followed by the chime of eight bells indicating the end of the forenoon watch. Noon Day Gun which was mentioned in a humorous song called Mad Dogs and Englishmen by Noel Coward , can be easily accessed using a tunnel running through the World Trade Centres basement car park, and it is open daily from 7am to midnight.
This 3lb cannon, one of the few remnants of the regal past in Causeway Bay, carries a more rational story behind it as well. It is that this gun is fired daily at noon in order to help set the time of ships clocks accurately, which are essential for launching longitude and west-east distances at sea.
Almost all the tourists arriving in Hong Kong staying at
Hong Kong hotels make sure to visit the Noon Day Gun at least once. A much preferred
hotel Hong Kong such as the Langham Place Mongkok Hong Kong will delight you with the top-notch accommodations it provides.
