Saint Peter’s Secondary School: Abandoned on the Edge of a Towering Cemetery
Contents
- Essential Information
- The History of Saint Peter's Secondary School
- Transport Options to Aberdeen
- Walking to Saint Peter's Secondary School from Aberdeen
- Saint Peter's Secondary School On the Inside
- Getting Back
Essential Information About Saint Peter's Secondary School
The abandoned Saint Peter's Secondary School is just a short distance away from the new Saint Peter's Secondary School campus.
Address: Near 21 Aberdeen Reservoir Rd, Aberdeen
Chinese Address: 聖伯多祿中學
Google Maps Location: Saint Peter's Secondary School (abandoned)
The History of Saint Peter's Secondary School
Built in 1965 and abandoned in 2012 in favor of a newer and bigger campus just down the road, Saint Peter's Secondary School looks like it could be straight out of a Hollywood apocalypse film.
Tucked away right at the end of Peel Rise, the school sits on the edge of the Aberdeen Chinese Permanent Cemetery, just adding to the creepiness of this derelict urban location.
Though land is at a premium in Hong Kong, the old campus has yet to be repurposed due to a land dispute between the Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong and the Education Bureau.
The Key points of the dispute include:
- Delayed Land Return: A 2015 audit report highlighted that the Education Bureau had not enforced the school relocation clause to reclaim the old school premises. The Education Bureau only began formally reminding the Diocese to return the land around 2021.
- Complex Land Composition: The site includes three parts—the high school building, a low block converted from the primary school building, and the St. Peter’s Church. There has been controversy over whether the low block, originally part of the primary school, must be returned, complicating negotiations.
- Private vs. Government Land Status: The land remains classified as private because it has not been officially returned to the government. The Lands Department and Education Bureau are still working to clarify the exact land area to be reclaimed.
Transport Options to Aberdeen
From Kowloon
Bus 107 (goes past Kowloon Bay, Choi Hung, Kai Tak, Sung Wong Toi, To Kwa Wan, Ho Man Tin, Hung Hom, Causeway Bay)
From HK Island
Bus 4 (goes past Central, Sheung Wan and Pok Fu Lam)
Bus 42 (goes past North Point, Fortress Hill, Tin Hau, Causeway Bay, Ocean Park, Wong Chuk Hang, Aberdeen)
Bus 48 (goes past Wong Chuk Hang, Aberdeen)
From the New Territories
Bus 170 (goes past Shatin, Tai Wai, Kowloon Tong, Ho Man Tin, Hung Hom, Causeway Bay, Ocean Park, Wong Chuk Hang, Aberdeen)
Walking to Saint Peter's Secondary School from Aberdeen
Once you arrive at Aberdeen, follow Aberdeen Reservoir Road until you reach Peek Rise. Turn onto Peel Rise and follow it until you reach the entrance to the old Saint Peter's Secondary School campus.
Saint Peter's Secondary School On the Inside
Given that the school was only abandoned 13 years ago, a lot of the equipment and architecture are quite modern. It was certainly eerie to behold classrooms that were so complete, they could literally be reused if the desks were simply put back in their correct places.
The creepiest part of the school was looking down at the basketball and football court since it appears so disheveled and dilapidated. Just to the right of the court was the Aberdeen Permanent Chinese Cemetery, just to add an extra spooky factor to an already intense experience.
One odd thing was that the higher up I went, the worse the smell got. One of the toilets in the stairwell was definitely having some kind of issue.
Another odd thing was that on the second floor, there seemed to be bees or hornets flying about. Didn't stick around long enough to get stung and find out what they were exactly.
Getting Back
Retrace your steps back to Aberdeen and catch a bus.
