Murray House

Murray House

Introduction

Murray House is a Victorian-era building in Hong Kong. Originally located on the northern shore of Hong Kong Island in Central, it has now been relocated in its entirety to Stanley on the southeastern part of the island. It currently serves mainly as a dining and retail venue and is listed as a declared monument of Hong Kong. Architectural Features

Murray House incorporates both Chinese and Western architectural designs, featuring Western-style columns and Chinese-style tiled roofs. This was one of the most common architectural styles during the early colonial period in Hong Kong, and Murray House is the oldest surviving example of this type of building.

Related History

Built in 1844, Murray House was part of the Victoria Barracks and primarily served as barracks for British soldiers. During the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong, the building was used as the “Japanese Military Police Office” and the “Japanese Military Command Headquarters,” and also contained numerous prison cells and served as an execution ground. It is said that over four thousand people were killed there, making it the building outside hospitals with the highest number of deaths. After World War II, Murray House was used as office space by various Hong Kong government departments. From 1975 to 1982, it served as the headquarters of the Rating and Valuation Department.

During the 1960s and 1970s, Murray House was frequently reported to be haunted. The British Hong Kong government not only invited priests and pastors to conduct exorcisms inside the building, but also employed Buddhist purification rituals to cleanse negative energy, hoping to reassure the public. Since the government used public funds for these religious activities, relevant archival records exist.

In 1982, due to the construction of the Bank of China Tower in Hong Kong, Murray House had to be demolished. However, because of its historical value, the Hong Kong government decided to preserve and relocate the building in its entirety. Over 3,000 dismantled architectural components were carefully documented and stored. In 1990, the Hong Kong Housing Authority decided to move Murray House to Stanley. The entire building was reconstructed and completed in 1998, and reopened in 1999.

Transportation

1. Take bus routes 6, 6A, 6X, 66, or 260 from Central (Exchange Square) Bus Terminus.

2. Exit at B from Causeway Bay MTR Station, walk to Tung Lo Wan Street and transfer to minibus route 40.

3. Take bus route 973 from Tsim Sha Tsui East Bus Terminus or from outside New World Centre on Canton Road.

Hong Kong, Hong Kong