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First Day Cover Text Declared Monuments in Hong Kong (20.9.2007)

Hong Kong has been defined as a melting pot of the old and the new, and a place where East meets West. Located in urban centres and rural settings, the six historical structures featured in "Declared Monuments in Hong Kong" are some of the best examples to illustrate the invaluable legacy that the community has inherited, which at the same time reflects the cultural diversity of this metropolis.

Printed in intaglio and lithography, this set of stamps shows fine details of the monuments in monochrome to give a nostalgic touch.

$1.40 - Tin Hau Temple, Causeway Bay
Sited at 10 Tin Hau Temple Road in Causeway Bay, Tin Hau Temple was built by the Tais, a Hakka clan, most probably in the early 18th century. Legend has it that some members of the clan discovered a statue of Tin Hau, Goddess of the Sea, in the rocks near the shore. A temple was built as a place of worship. Tin Hau Temple, Causeway Bay was declared a monument in 1982 as a classic example of temple architecture of the Qing Dynasty.

$1.80 - Old Wan Chai Post Office
Old Wan Chai Post Office is located at 221 Queen's Road East in Wan Chai. Constructed between 1912 and 1913, the building was opened on 1 March 1915. It is an L-shaped one-storey building with a pitched roof, decorated with simple and attractive features. Old Wan Chai Post Office was declared a monument in 1990.

$2.40 - Former Central Police Station Compound
The Former Central Police Station Compound is located at 10 Hollywood Road in Central. The oldest structure within the compound is a three-storey Barracks Block adjacent to Victoria Prison, which was built in 1864 and had an extra storey added in 1905. The Headquarters Block facing Hollywood Road was constructed in 1919. The Stable Block at the northwest end of the parade ground was built in 1925. The Compound was declared a monument in 1995.

$2.50 - Former Yamen Building of Kowloon Walled City
The building is a three-hall structure situated in Kowloon Walled City Park, Kowloon City. Built in 1847, the Yamen was the administrative office and residence of the Qing Magistrate. After the Qing officials deserted the Walled City, it was converted first into an almshouse, then in succession into a home for widows and orphans, a school and clinic, and an elderly centre. The Yamen was meticulously restored and declared a monument in 1996.

$3 - Kun Lung Gate Tower, Lung Yeuk Tau
Kun Lung Wai in Lung Yeuk Tau, Fanling, is one of the most authentic and intact walled villages in the territory. The stone tablet above the entrance gate tower bears two characters, "Kun Lung", marking the original name of the village known today as San Wai. The inscription, "Dated this Jiazi Year of the Qianlong Reign", suggests that the gate tower structure dates back to 1744. Kun Lung Gate Tower was declared a monument in 1988.

$5 - Tang Lung Chau Lighthouse
The Tang Lung Chau Lighthouse is one of five surviving pre-war lighthouses in Hong Kong. With a white lantern on top, the steel tower stands 11.8 metres high and has been providing navigation aid to passing vessels since 1912. With the advance of navigation technology, the lighthouse is now unmanned and automated. Tang Lung Chau Lighthouse was declared a monument in 2000.