The Legislative Council Building of Hong Kong

The Legislative Council Building of Hong Kong

The Legislative Council Building of Hong Kong was formerly the Supreme Court Building. It was resolved for construction by the Legislative Council on 28 February 1898, and the building was designed by Aston Webb and Ingress Bell, consulting architects from the Crown Agents for the Colonies. Construction began in 1900, with the foundation stone laid in 1903. Due to a shortage of stonemasons and suitable granite, the project was delayed and only completed in 1912.

The building has served as both the Supreme Court and the legislature. During the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong, it was used as the headquarters of the Kempeitai (military police). After the Legislative Council moved to the new Legislative Council Complex in Tamar in October 2011, the building was handed over to the Judiciary to be converted into the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal, which is expected to commence operation in mid-2015.

The Legislative Council Building adopts a neoclassical architectural style, drawing inspiration from ancient Roman and Greek designs. It features Ionic and Doric columns that support the colonnades surrounding the ground and first floors. The design symbolizes order and fairness, with all doors and windows positioned between the pillars in a symmetrical arrangement. To adapt to Hong Kong’s climate, the building includes wide balconies that block direct sunlight from entering the interior and provide heat dissipation.

The top of the building incorporates both Chinese and Western architectural elements. The central dome dominates the exterior appearance, supported by a double steel frame and internal truss structure, built on a square granite base adorned with four spire decorations at the corners. At the highest point of the dome, a bronze Tudor crown sculpture is mounted—it was the royal crown used by King Edward VII in 1902. The north and south sides of the building feature two Chinese-style hip-and-gable roofs, tiled with double-layered Chinese tiles to prevent leakage during the rainy season. The entire roof is supported by exquisitely carved traditional Chinese camphor wood brackets and steel T-shaped supports.

The central portico facing Statue Square is topped with a triangular pediment inscribed with “Erected AD MDCCCCX” (Erected in the Year of Our Lord 1910). On either side are the letters “E” and “R,” encircled and abbreviated for “Edward Rex,” symbolizing the building’s construction during the reign of King Edward VII. The top of the pediment features a royal coat of arms inspired by the British national emblem: the left upper and right lower sections each depict three lions representing England; the lion in the right upper corner represents Scotland; the harp in the left lower corner represents Ireland. The shield is flanked by the English lion and the Scottish unicorn, topped with a crown, and inscribed with the monarch’s motto “DIEU ET MON DROIT” (My God and My Right). On either side of the royal coat of arms stand statues—the left one is of Themis, the goddess of truth, and the right one is of Clemency, the goddess of mercy.

At the top of the triangular pediment stands a 2.7-meter-tall statue of Themis, the goddess of justice. She holds a pair of scales representing fairness in her right hand and a sword symbolizing authority in her left. Her eyes are covered, signifying the impartiality and fairness of the law.

Transportation Guide

Location: 8 Ice House Street, Central and Western District, Hong Kong

Getting There: Take tram routes 2, 3, 5, or 6.