Avenue of Stars

Thanks to the efforts of Hong Kong’s movie industry over the past century, many in Asia and farther afield are familiar with the city’s sights before they’ve even set foot here. The Avenue of Stars pays tribute to the names that helped make Hong Kong the ‘Hollywood of the East’, while giving visitors a panoramic view of the city’s most iconic sight: its glorious skyline, dramatically set against The Peak. With commemorative plaques, celebrity handprints, descriptive milestones, movie memorabilia, a life-size statue of kung fu action hero Bruce Lee and a bronze rendering of popular cartoon character McDull, the Avenue of Stars fittingly sets the glamour of Hong Kong’s film industry against the captivating dazzle of Victoria Harbour.

The Avenue of Stars is a 400-metre long stretch of waterside promenade along the northern side of Victoria Harbour, in front of the New World Centre at Tsim Sha Tsui. The avenue, which was built along an existing promenade, opened in April 2004. It cost HK$40 million to construct, was designed by local architects AGC Design, financed by New World Group and supported by government bodies including Hong Kong Tourism Board, Hong Kong Tourism Commission and the Hong Kong Film Awards Association. On completion it was donated to the Hong Kong SAR Government by New World Group. 

The Avenue is based on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame and celebrates stars of the Hong Kong film industry. Set into the promenade’s coloured paving blocks are plaques, each representing present and past stars, many of whom are deceased. The number of plaques has grown from 73, when the avenue first opened, to a current total of 101. Plaques of most living stars contain handprints set in cement and autographs. Some of the stars more familiar to audiences outside Hong Kong include Michelle Yeoh, Jackie Chan, Bruce Lee, Jet Li, Chow Yun-fat and Maggie Cheung.

One of the popular plaques features the handprints of Hong Kong's Hollywood movie star Jackie Chan

The western entrance of the avenue, near to Hong Kong Museum of Art, is dominated by a 4.5-metre tall replica of the statuette awarded to winners of the annual Hong Kong Film Awards.

By Melissa Man