Hung Shing Temple and Stanley Mosque to receive highest heritage protection

Hong Kong’s Antiquities and Monuments Office has proposed elevating Hung Shing Temple in Wan Chai and the Stanley Mosque at Stanley Prison to statutory monuments, the highest heritage protection tier. Hung Shing Temple, located on Queen’s Road East, was built between 1847 and 1852, making it one of the oldest temples in Wan Chai. The Stanley Mosque is Hong Kong’s only mosque situated inside a prison and is one of just two surviving pre-war Islamic buildings in the city. Both currently hold Grade 1 historic building status and have received owner consent for the upgrade.

If endorsed by the Antiquities Board and approved by the Chief Executive, the two sites will be gazetted as declared monuments, granting them permanent statutory protection under the Antiquities and Monuments Ordinance. This move underscores the government’s commitment to preserving rare colonial-era religious and cultural heritage structures. The decision also highlights the unique histories embedded in Hong Kong’s urban landscape—a temple dating back to before the British took full control of the island, and a mosque serving a prison community.