Introduction to Heritage Site
The residence of the British Consul was the first foreign consular residence on Kulangsu. It was built around 1867 by Mr. Rutherford Alcock (1807-1897), the second British Consul to Xiamen. It is located on an open space in Tianwei overlooking the sea, giving a good view of ships navigating Xiamen Harbour. The site was owned by the British merchants in 1880s.
The British Consul's Residence is a single-storey structure, made of brick, stone and wood, in typical colonial veranda style. It is L-shaped in plan, with a veranda running along the front. The bedrooms occupied the longer side, with the reception rooms on the shorter side; ancillary rooms, such as the kitchen and washrooms, were located at the back. It is built on a granite foundation, covered with a thin damp-proof layer. The veranda is fronted by a line of brick arches with simple architraves, and the building's corners are decorated with quoins, while the facades are rendered with white plaster. A building next to the main residence housed the offices and the consul's private study.
The residence of British Consul is testimony to Kulangsu's attraction foreigners working for foreign companies and institutions in Xiamen, as a place to reside in view of its outstanding living environment. It shows that Kulangsu was very significant as a location where exchanges between China and foreign countries came about.
Contact Us
Person (Unit) in Charge for the Safety of Cultural Heritages:
Xiamen Siming Urban Resources Operation and Management Co., Ltd.
Contact:
0592-2029110
Hotline for Supervision and Report:
Administrative Committee of Xiamen Gulangyu-Wanshishan Scenic Area
0592-2090395
Supervised by:
Administrative Committee of Xiamen Gulangyu-Wanshishan Scenic Area