香港太平山简介

香港太平山简介 　　Victoria Peak is a mountain  in Hong Kong. It is also documented as The Peak locally, and Mount Austin. The mountain is located in the western half of the Hong Kong Island. With an altitude of 552 m , it is the highest mountain on the island, although far from the highest Tai Mo Shan in the territory. It is also known to have the highest land value in the world, with many of the Super-Rich residing here. Because of its view, history and spectacular location Victoria Peak is strongly attached with an air of prestige. 　　The actual summit of Victoria Peak is occupied by a radio telecommunications facility and is closed to the public. However the surrounding area comprises a mixture of publicly accessible parkland, and high value residential land, and it is this area that is normally meant by the name The Peak. The Peak offers spectacular views over central Hong Kong, the harbor and surrounding islands, and is a major tourist attraction. 　　太平山为香港的一山峰，海拔552米，是香港岛的最高峰。太平山是一个著名旅遊景点。 　　History 　　The early history of the Peak was driven by the breezes and generally cooler temperatures which could be found there during Hong Kong's sub-tropical summers, especially in the days before air conditioning was generally available. This made the area a desirable retreat for Hong Kong's more affluent residents. The summer home of GovernorSir Richard MacDonnell was built there around 1868. Other wealthy residents followed suit. 　　The original residents reached their homes by sedan chair, which were carried up and down the steep paths by their personal staff of uniformed bearers. The difficulty of access limited the development of the Peak, a situation that would remain until the opening of the Peak Tramfunicular railway in 1888. 　　The boost to accessibility given by the opening of the Peak Tram increased the demand for residences on the Peak. Between 1904 and 1930, the Peak Reservation Ordinance designated the Peak as an exclusive residential area reserved for Europeans and government officials, as well as reserving the Peak Tram for the use of such passengers during peak periods. The Peak remains an upmarket residential area, although residency today is controlled by wealth rather than race. 　　在开埠初期，由于交通不便，要靠轿子上山，故当时居住山顶的人士不多，1880年只有約40戶。随后因为山顶景色优美，气温清涼，所以逐漸吸引了更多的外籍人士居住。为满足交通需求，山頂缆车于1888年通車。其后于1904年,港英政府禁止华人在山頂居住，直至1947年才废止。 　　1867年,当时香港总督麦当奴选址山顶设立避暑別墅，即总督山顶别墅。该別墅曾于1902年重建，但从1930年起开始停用，随后在日统治时期遭到破坏,最后在1946年拆除，只剩下守卫室，原址用做山頂公园。 　　此外，1873年,山顶酒店落成启用，酒店经营者即是其后提出兴建山顶缆车建议的亚历山大.芬梨.史密夫。然而，酒店于1938年因火焚毁，之后一直未有重建。該处其后成为巴士总站,1990年才改建为山顶广场。