Discover the historic Sung Wong Toi, a remarkable memorial that commemorates the legendary refuge of Southern Song dynasty emperors Zhao Shi and Zhao Bing. When eight-year-old Zhao Shi and his seven-year-old brother Zhao Bing fled Mongol invaders in the 13th century, they – and their army – took refuge on a hill overlooking Kowloon City, then a bustling port filled with armed forces.

Legend has it that this is where the elder brother coined the name Kowloon, or ‘Nine Dragons’, drawing inspiration from the eight peaks that surround the territory – the ninth was the one he was sitting on. Six months after arriving here – the only emperors to ever set foot in Hong Kong – the young emperor and his brother perished when their enemies caught up to them.

To commemorate their time in Kowloon, the people carved the phrase ‘Sung Wong Toi’ into a boulder on the hill. When the hill was later cleared to make way for Kai Tak Airport, the boulder was moved to its current location; a memorial called Sung Wong Toi now sits in its own garden.

Explore the Treasures from Sacred Hill: ‘Song-Yuan Archaeological Discoveries at Sung Wong Toi’ and ‘Sung Wong Toi and Maritime Trade’ exhibition at the concourse of Sung Wong Toi MTR Station, which highlights the archaeological discoveries and the history of Sacred Hill, where a giant rock inscribed with three huge characters ‘Sung Wong Toi’ was on its hilltop. Sacred Hill commemorates the legend that two young monarchs of Southern Song dynasty fled to Sung Wong Toi to evade the Mongol onslaught. Sacred Hill was levelled during World War II and the expansion of Kai Tak Airport in the 1950s.

Due to the historical significance of the area, archaeological excavations were conducted between 2012 and 2015 for the construction of Sung Wong Toi MTR Station. As a result, a vast quantity of remains dated to the Song-Yuan period were unearthed. With archaeological finds, historical photos, maps and audio guides on QR codes, the exhibition illustrates the lives, economy and maritime trade of the time, as well as the scenery of Sacred Hill and its environs in the past, offering a captivating glimpse into Hong Kong’s rich cultural heritage.

Kowloon Walled City Park stands on the site of the former Kowloon Walled City, a place with a history as colourful as it is complex. Today, you can explore the fascinating history of this once-troubled place at A City of Thousand Faces, a permanent exhibition within the park. This exhibition features a miniature bronze model of the Walled City and stunning artwork that gives you a cross-sectional view of life within its walls.

As you wander through the park, you’ll come across several historical relics from the Walled City era. The Yamen complex, which served as the administrative office of the Walled City, has been carefully restored and now houses the park’s exhibition. Nearby, you’ll find the South Gate, one of the few remaining structures that hint at the original fortified nature of the city.

A meticulously restored film set from Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In, including a barber shop, tea stall, convenience store, bone-setting clinic and tailor. The exhibition features an open design to enhance visitors’ immersive experience, exploring the city beyond the silver screen.

Named after the famous runway 13/31 (sometimes also simply called runway 13) of the old Kai Tak Airport, this plaza sits next to the Kai Tak Youth Sports Ground and is just a few minutes’ walk away from Sung Wong Toi MTR station.

As a tribute to Kai Tak’s aviation history, Australian artist Russell Anderson created a towering sculpture called Landing for this open space in the Kai Tak Sports Park. Playing with the perceptions of scale and distance, the piece references the challenging Kai Tak landings – Hong Kong had the only major airport in the world that required pilots to do a manual 47-degree turn to land on the runway. Notably, during the final approach, planes literally flew above pedestrians and residents in the dense neighbourhood where the old airport was situated. Not only does the sculpture capture the thrilling scene but also exudes a sense of joyful dynamism with two figures running forward chasing after an overhead airplane.

The Kai Tak MTR station houses a photograph display showing memories of the iconic Kai Tak Airport, dating from 1925 to 1998. Though now mostly invisible to the public eye because of our city’s rapid development, the area around this MTR station all used to be linked to the old airport and therefore Hong Kong’s thriving aviation industry. The old photographs that line the walls hark back to a time when aircrafts, citizens, and the improbable urban airport in the heart of our city began cementing Hong Kong’s reputation of excellent aviation and flying skills. The younger generations may only know the Chek Lap Kok airport, but the legend of Kai Tak lives on in memories.