With a height of 44 metres and made of red brick and granite, the Tsim Sha Tsui Clock Tower fails not to make an impression on the skyline in Kowloon, mainly with its historic appearance reminiscent of the days of the steam engines. The tower is indeed the only one remaining of the Kowloon station belonging to the Kowloon Canton railway. It is here that the trains diverged into several areas and so many lives of Chinese began in new directions and maybe it is this significance that makes the tower a place of nostalgic memories for so many Chinese people.
The clock tower together with the station did not undergo complete construction until 1915, a time much later than the initiation of the Kowloon Canton Railway in 1910 as it was held up due to the difficulties arising from the world war. When the station was moved to its present location in the Hum long bay in 1975, the clock tower was preserved as a compromise to the much raised protest of the civilians. The clock on one side of the tower happens to be the one that was taken from the demolished Peddler street clock tower and only some years later were the other three clocks obtained for the four sides by about 1920 and the clock tower finally began to function in 1921.
The tower makes quite a picturesque appearance on the southern shore of Tsim Sha Tsui in Kowloon near the Victoria Harbour, right at the end of the Salisbury road. Its 44 metre length is further accentuated by a lightning rod of about 7 metres that is pointed at the site and appears razor sharp against the sky. The tower is deserving of its declaration as a National monument, the status it gained in 1910 and the top of the tower can be visited by a wooden staircase although during a certain period, the tower is closed to visitors.
The array of Mongkok hotels makes one’s choice so much more difficult in this vibrant city that appears even more complex as the night draws in the neon lights. However the Cosmo Hotel Mongkok possess the advantage of belonging to a renowned name in the industry and enjoys one of the best overall locations for many city attractions and business premises as to make it quite an easy choice from others. This premier hotel in Kowloon is known for its modern, plush interiors brimming with sophistication, its modern suites and rooms and the congenial nature of the staff that makes you feel at home in this cosmopolitan city.
