00:00What you're viewing is recognized as the most densely populated location to have ever existed.
00:10It spans just 6.4 acres, which is equivalent to 13 Starbucks coffee shops located in the
00:16Empire State Building.
00:18And while a huge coffee shop like this one can host, say, 1,000 guests, this place somehow
00:24managed to have around 33,000 people squeezed in.
00:29Some estimates suggest that the actual number could have soared to 50,000 at some point.
00:37This is Kowloon Walled City.
00:39The city is relatively young, settled in 1898, but its history goes back nearly 1,000 years
00:46to the Song Dynasty.
00:49Originally a modest fortification, it remained largely unchanged until renovations in 1847
00:58added defensive walls, leading to its revival a half-century later.
01:03But back then, the area was sparsely populated rather than crowded.
01:09To really understand just how packed this area got by the mid-20th century, let's compare
01:15it to some others.
01:17Take the East Village in New York City, for example.
01:21It has a little park at its center, but mostly it's filled with a mix of historic homes and
01:26newer apartment buildings.
01:29As of 2010, it was home to over 44,000 people, making it way more crowded than the rest of
01:34New York City, which is saying a lot, since New York City is the most densely populated
01:40city in the US.
01:42By most standards, it's pretty busy.
01:48But then you look at Kowloon Walled City, and it's a whole different ballgame.
01:54If all the land there could be split proportionally between the residents, that would be somewhere
01:58around 5.5 to 8.5 square feet per person, if we count land only, while science claims
02:06people need 200 to 400 square feet at a home just to feel good.
02:12So why was everything crammed together like that?
02:16Well, it comes down to Kowloon Walled City's unique status.
02:21It was never officially part of the rest of Hong Kong.
02:25What started as a small Chinese military outpost became more significant when a larger fort
02:30was built nearby, coinciding with the rise of Canton Harbor.
02:37After the fall of the Qing Dynasty, this site transformed into a tourist destination, eventually
02:42becoming home to around 400 squatters.
02:46However, in the 1930s, the Hong Kong authorities intervened, relocating the inhabitants and
02:52demolishing the dilapidated structures.
02:55The 1940s and 50s were pretty rough times for folks in Kowloon.
03:00And while the residents were somewhat accustomed to different countries vying for control over
03:05their land, they were definitely caught off guard by natural disasters.
03:10In January 1950, a massive fire broke out that wiped over 2,500 huts, leaving almost
03:183,500 families, which is about 17,000 people, without homes.
03:24This disaster really underscored the need for better fire safety measures, especially
03:29in the squatter areas made mainly of wood.
03:34The problem didn't end there.
03:36Due to the lack of control from both the Chinese and British authorities, except for
03:40a handful of operations conducted by the Hong Kong police, the Walled City became a refuge
03:46for illegal activities.
03:51It was not until a trial in 1959, which took place within the Walled City's boundaries,
03:57that the Hong Kong government was officially recognized as having jurisdiction there.
04:03By that time, however, organized crime groups known as triads had already established dominance
04:09over the area.
04:12Starting in the 1950s, triad factions such as the 14K and Sun Yee Un took control of
04:19all the criminal dens within the Walled City.
04:22The environment became so dangerous that police would only enter in large numbers.
04:28It wasn't until 1973 and 1974, when over 3,500 police operations led to more than 2,500
04:40arrests and the confiscation of illegal produce, that the influence of the triads began to
04:46diminish.
04:48Only a decade later, the local police chief announced that the crime rate in the Walled
04:53City was now under control.
04:56And even though crime dropped, the Walled City still became known for having a surprising
05:00number of unlicensed doctors and dentists who could work there without fear of getting
05:06into trouble.
05:08That was a win-win.
05:09Many working class people couldn't afford licensed dentists somewhere in Hong Kong,
05:14so they would go to Kowloon to receive affordable healthcare.
05:22You get it now.
05:23What can attract people in such a seedy place?
05:26Right, it's zero oversight.
05:29And zero oversight means that anyone could start their business here, no matter how shady
05:34it was.
05:35However, there were some totally normal entrepreneurs.
05:39For example, noodle makers.
05:43Despite all the dangers, the population of the city kept growing.
05:47But how can you create more houses if your territory is very limited?
05:52Simple, think vertically, not horizontally.
05:56So local developers started stacking more and more stories, as if those were Lego bricks
06:01you could easily add on top of your tower.
06:05This led to a crazy population boom, making the city feel like a little world of its own,
06:11with over 33,000 people being crammed into 300 buildings on just about 7 acres.
06:19By the late 70s and early 80s, the city hit its peak size.
06:24But that came with some quirks.
06:28However, there were limits on how tall buildings could go.
06:34Those could not exceed 13 to 14 stories, and it was because of planes flying into Kai Tak
06:40airport.
06:42Yeah, living close to the airport meant residents had to deal with a lot of noise.
06:50Water was provided through 8 municipal pipes, although there were options for wells too.
06:56Some streets barely saw any natural light thanks to the way buildings were packed in,
07:01and fluorescent lights were the go-to for illumination down below.
07:05It was nighttime all the time in there.
07:09So the city buildings were pretty tall, yet the city had nearly 2 elevators for its entirety.
07:15At the base of various skyscrapers, both shared and private mailboxes were affixed to the
07:20walls.
07:22Frequently, this left the postman with no choice but to ascend on foot.
07:27Even several floors high, the tangled network of paths persisted, intricate passages that
07:33wound their way into the city's core through a web of bridges and staircases.
07:39But let's say you live in such a place, and want to have a walk or just a bit of fresh
07:44air.
07:45What do you do?
07:46In such cramped conditions, rooftops will serve you a thousand purposes.
07:51They can be a space for physical activities and a kid's playground, but they can also
07:56be used as venues for pigeon racing, with residents making their guess concerning which
08:01pigeon comes first.
08:03And it's illegal for sure.
08:07Such rooftops can pose certain risks because of the narrow spaces between the buildings.
08:13But locals use them also as landfills.
08:16The absence of efficient garbage collection led to some residents to transport their larger
08:21waste items up to the roof.
08:23Consequently, many rooftops became crowded with abandoned mattresses, damaged furniture
08:28and appliances.
08:31Hey, I get the feeling that I'm talking about something that actually exists.
08:39Sorry for that, I totally forgot to mention the most important thing.
08:43This city seized its existence back in the 1990s.
08:48What happened?
08:49Long story short, both Chinese and British authorities grew increasingly weary of the
08:54chaos unfolding in the city.
08:59Control was difficult, if not impossible.
09:02Criminals kept proliferating and the area was in disarray.
09:05Consequently, officials from both countries chipped in and allocated approximately $350
09:11million in compensation for the locals, who had been kicked out of that area as the city
09:17was demolished.
09:19Kowloon exists today, but not as the infamous Walled City.
09:23It's now an urban area in Hong Kong, which is located in a completely different place.
09:28It just has the same name.
09:30As for the area that used to be Kowloon, there's now a park known as Kowloon Walled City Park.
09:39Architects and thinkers still look back at Kowloon as a prime example of the organic
09:43megastructure concept from the 60s, which envisioned cities as flexible networks that
09:48grow and change with their residents.
09:52If you're looking to catch a glimpse of the real deal, you should watch Crime Story,
09:56starring Jackie Chan, as some scenes were filmed there.
10:01That's it for today!
10:04So hey, if you pacified your curiosity, then give the video a like and share it with your
10:09friends!
10:10Or if you want more, just click on these videos and stay on the Bright Side!
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