Sights in Taiwan
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National Palace Museum
Considered by many a must-visit, this museum is home to what could quite easily be termed the world's largest and finest collection of Chinese art. This vast collection (much of it liberated from mainland China during the last retreat of the KMT) is far too large to exhibit at any given time, so most of the museum's treasures are on rotation.
Among the treasures to be seen at the National Palace Museum are painting, calligraphy, statues and ceramic and jade. Some pieces date back thousands of years into Chinese history and even prehistory. The museum also has an amazing collection of Buddhist artefacts inherited from the Forbidden City. Some of the most popular items are…
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Taipei 101
Towering above the city like the gigantic bamboo stalk it was designed to resemble, Taipei 101 is impossible to miss. At 508m, Taipei 101 held the title 'world's tallest building' for a number of years, though it now must be content with second-place status. The pressure-controlled lift is quite a rush; at 1010m per minute it takes a mere 40 seconds to get from ground level to the 89th-floor observation deck.
Buy a ticket (NT$400) to the indoor and outdoor observation decks on floors 89 to 91, where you'll also be able to see the massive gold-coloured iron ball that keeps the tower stable through typhoons and earthquakes. In the basement of the structure is an excellent…
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Taroko Gorge
An awe-inspiring canyon with marble-walled canyons, lush vegetation and cliffs so giant they block out the sky, Taroko covers 120,000 hectares with mountain peaks rising to 3700m. The environment of this massive park is filled with high mountain peaks and the Liwu River, which cuts through the centre of the gorge, forging many deep valleys, ravines and waterfalls in its course. There are an abundance of hiking trails that lead visitors to shrines, temples, hot springs and panoramic vistas of the mountains and the sea.
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Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall
This iconic monument with its white walls and blue octagonal roof still stands as a grandiose, ostentatious and perhaps fitting memorial to the man who, in life, was known in some circles as 'General Cash-my-check'. On the ground floor you'll find a museum dedicated to Chiang's life, with an assortment of military uniforms, medals, paintings and manuscripts, along with two humungous black, bullet-proof Cadillacs he used. You'll also find in this museum an interesting version of history in which Chiang's Kuomintang (KMT, Nationalist Party) forces nearly single-handedly defeated the Japanese empire, and the Chinese communist revolution is reduced to a mere speed bump in…
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Taipei Story House
the Taipei Story House was built in 1914 by an aristocratic tea trader. Its style was said to have been inspired by a building he saw while visiting the 1900 Paris Expo. Today the house is an exhibition space for Taipei nostalgia and history. Exhibits change frequently and might include goodies such as toys, matchboxes and comic books.
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Longshan Temple
Religious life in Taiwan is alive and kicking seven days a week at Longshan Temple. Though not the biggest temple in the city, there is something unique and beautiful about the vibe at Longshan that keeps people coming back.
The temple dates back to 1738. As the story goes, a passer-by left an amulet of Guanyin (goddess of mercy) hanging on a tree on the site of the present temple, and the amulet shone so brightly, even after dark, that all who passed by knew the site was blessed. Nearly three centuries later, the spot still exudes a certain warmth. The stones that line the courtyard of the temple were originally ballast on the ships that ferried immigrants from Fujian…
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Taipei Astronomical Museum
Opened in 1997, this museum houses four floors of constellations, ancient astronomy, space science and technology, telescopes and observatories. Though a good place to while away an hour with the kids, what keeps this otherwise excellent museum from being a must-visit is a dearth of English content. Although every exhibit features English and Chinese, most of the actual information is in the latter language only. A recorded English-language guide is available, though the information is fairly basic. More English-friendly attractions (at an extra charge) are an IMAX theatre, a 3-D theatre (presentations change frequently) and the 'Cosmic Adventure', an amusement-park ride…
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2-28 Memorial Museum
Located inside 2-28 park, the 2-28 Memorial Museum offers an explanation of the events of 28 February 1947 massacre and of the repercussions that followed. Acknowledgment of the 2-28 incident was a pivotal part of Taiwan's transformation from dictatorship to democracy.
Though there is little in the way of English signage in the museum, a multilingual walking tour device is available. However, there are generally bilingual volunteers on hand willing to walk you through and explain the significance of various events and displays. The building itself is significant, for it was from this, the former KMT radio station that officials tried to calm the masses as panic swept the…
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Taiwan Museum of Art
The museum is one of the best in Taiwan, and surprisingly for both kids and parents. The open modern design is visually sophisticated (though not pretentious), and there are high-quality exhibits of both Taiwanese and foreign artists. Exhibits change often, though unfortunately there is almost no English signage.
For children there is a wonderful hands-on play area and fantasyland library that includes an igloo, castle and rainforest area (and of course loads of children's books). One expat father we know described it as the best children's library he has ever seen.
To get to the museum take UBus 75.
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Miniatures Museum of Taiwan
Bigger is better, so some say; but not at the Miniatures Museum of Taiwan, where quite the opposite is true. This small, private museum is dedicated to the exhibition of the minuscule, the tiny, the 'I can't believe someone had the patience and steadiness of hand to create something so small and intricate!'. Among the items on display are dollhouse-sized replications of some of Europe's most classic structures, as well as dolls in full period regalia. The gift shop, though small (naturally) is also fairly impressive.
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National Museum of History
Just outside the Botanical Gardens, Taiwan's first National Museum Of History is still an anchor of local arts and culture housed in an elegant Japanese-era building. 'History' is actually a misnomer - Chinese art history would be more accurate, with thousands of Chinese artifacts from Tang, Shang and other dynasties. The tea room on the 3rd floor has views of the Botanical Gardens' lotus pond. A tour in English takes place each afternoon.
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Discovery Centre of Taipei
The Discovery Centre of Taipei is a good place to get your bearings on the city and its history. You can see maps and models depicting Taipei's evolution from a walled, gated city in 1882 to the bustling metropolis it is today. Discover more about its geography, topography, commerce, famous residents and natural resources. There's a free audio guide in English, and guided tours are available with advance notice.
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Dakeng
To the east of the city is a hilly area known as Dakeng. If you are going to spend any time in the city, Dakeng is worth exploring, as there are pleasant hiking trails and even a few hot springs.
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Chung Tai Chan Temple
Completed in 2001, the massive Chung Tai Chan Temple is more than just another modern temple - it is an international centre of Buddhist academic research, culture and the arts.
The temple is 150m tall and sits on a 60-acre lotus hill outside Puli. It took 10 years and the donations of countless members of the Chung Tai Chan Buddhist community to complete. Chung Tai Chan is an international branch of Buddhism founded by the Venerable Master Wei Chueh - the Master who is said to have revived the Zen tradition in Taiwan.
From the start, the Master was determined to build something grand, something that would appeal to the modern eye as much as the soul. To achieve this,…
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Confucius Temple
You expect a Confucian temple to exude the calm, grace and dignified beauty of traditional Chinese culture, and this, the first such temple in Taiwan, doesn't disappoint. Nor do the grounds, which contain one of the largest and most beautiful banyan trees in all of Taiwan.
The temple grounds are free, and are nice to sit in at night, but you must pay to enter the palace area. The receipt comes with an excellent short brochure and map of the temple. Make sure you look out for the stone tablet on the right as you enter the Edification Hall (the tablet is not shown on the brochure). The words on the tablet explain the school rules (the site was once a centre for Confucian…
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British Consulate Residence at Takou (Dagou)
The handsome red-brick consulate residence was built in 1865 by a British trading company. Sitting about 70m above the mouth of Kaohsiung harbour, the location is perfect for watching giant container ships sail through the tiny mouth of the harbour. There's also an interesting clash of cultures to observe on the steps as mainland Chinese tourists react in bewilderment to the open presence of Falun Gong posters and protesters decrying the Beijing government.
While in the area, check out a tiny temple to the left of the larger temple beside the consulate. It's the only shrine in Taiwan to deify 17th-century Dutch naval commanders, much in the way old Chinese generals have…
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Lotus Pond
The pond in the north of the city has been a popular destination since the Qing dynasty and is well known for the 20 or so temples dotting the shoreline and nearby alleys. In recent years much money and effort has gone into returning the lake and its cultural and natural heritage to something of their former glory. There's now a path right around the lake, and efforts are underway to restore the wetlands on the west side. At night coloured lights give the lake a very festive appearance.
Starting from the southern end and heading clockwise around the lake, you'll first encounter sections of the Old Wall of Fengshan (Fèngshān Jiùcháng), built in 1826. The intact north-gate…
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Lin Family Mansion & Garden
The house was built in 1853 but opened to the public only in 2001. It's a prime example of a Qing-period mansion, with receiving halls, library and performance stages. There are eye-popping uses of gold leaf on the doors and gates among other decorations of auspicious imagery. From the Grain Viewing Pavilion family members were able to look out over the farmers at work. It is said that the residential buildings are all tongue-and-groove construction, meaning that no nails were used. Plus it's all set amid ponds and gardens you might swear you've seen in paintings.
Driving through this busy section of town, it may be difficult to believe that this was once all farmland.…
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Koxinga's Shrine
When the Ming dynasty was overthrown by the Manchus in 1661, Koxinga (Cheng Cheng-kung) led his army to Taiwan with plans to restock supplies and then retake the mainland. He found the Dutch already here, but after nine months' battle they surrendered and departed Taiwan.
Koxinga did much to improve conditions on the island. But, like the KMT of modern times, he did not live to see the mainland retaken. He died after only a year in Taiwan, and his grandson surrendered to the Manchus in 1683.
There's a certain atmosphere of dignity surrounding Koxinga's Shrine, even though most of it is of rather recent origin: the original southern-style temple was rebuilt in a northern…
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Tainan
Tainan, on the southwest coast, is Taiwan's temple town. Designated the provincial capital for over 200 years, until the 1880s, Tainan still has a firm grip on Taiwan's traditional culture. It's also one of the best places in the country to witness Buddhist parades and festivals.
There are hundreds of temples in Tainan: some of the most interesting are East Mountain, a busy Taoist temple where people come to communicate with dead relatives or exorcise ghosts; Mito, with its magnificent statue of the 1000-armed goddess Kuanyin; Chuhsi, Tainan's largest and most beautiful temple, set in an athletic park; and Kaiyuan, a classical Buddhist temple with spacious grounds and…
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Chihkan Towers
This old fort is one of the best preserved, or perhaps we should say reconstructed, historical sights in Tainan. It's a splendid place in which to roam around, or even to enjoy an outdoor concert on the weekends.
Chihkan has gone through many masters – Ming, Qing and Japanese, and the Kuomintang (KMT; China's Nationalist Party) – since the foundations were first laid by the Dutch in 1653. At that time the seashore reached the fort's outer walls. Our favourite features are the nine stone turtles with tablets on their backs. These stelae hail from the Qing dynasty and if you check the backs you can see where the carver made a mistake on one and, rather than starting over…
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Liyu Lake
This very scenic 2km-long lake (Lǐyú Tán), shaped somewhat like a carp (lǐyú means 'carp' in Chinese), sits in the foothills of the Central Mountain Range about 19km southwest of Hualien. It's the largest natural inland lake in Taiwan, and has a splendid backdrop of lush green hills. It's also blessedly free of overdevelopment. There are pavilions and walking trails and even boat rental shops along the shores, but they are mostly of wood-and-stone construction and blend in nicely with the environment.
Families with small children who enjoy camping or picnicking will like it here. There are safe bike trails around the lake, and short hikes in the nearby hills. There's…
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2-28 Peace Park
At first glance the lovely 2-28 Peace Park doesn't seem more significant than any of the other dozen or so parks in Taipei. There's a band performance stage, some lovely shrines and pavilions, paths and playgrounds. But there is a certain air of solemnity to this place, for it is dedicated to the memory of a massacre that began on 28 February 1947 (hence the 2-28), an event that heralded the start of Taiwan's martial-law era. In the centre of the park stands the memorial itself, a steepled sculpture surrounded by three enormous cubes turned on their corners.
If the monument is the soul of the park, then the 2-28 Memorial Museum, which offers an explanation of the events…
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Core Pacific City
Some people call it Core Pacific City, we like to think of it as the Great Golf Ball of Taipei. Designed by Jon Jerde, the Pablo Picasso of the architecture world, Core Pacific City is quite probably the weirdest shopping mall in Asia. A building that is inspired (by MC Escher or perhaps LSD) to say the least, from the outside CPC looks like a gigantic golf ball being embraced by a stone sarcophagus. Though you can get in through the basement, for maximum weirdness take the escalator from the street into the main lobby, which is somewhat reminiscent of the Death Star from the first Star Wars trilogy.
Since the initial rush of publicity over its grand opening in 2001, Core…
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Zhishan Cultural & Ecological Garden
Just south of Tianmu's Yangming hospital and a few blocks east of the Zhishan MRT sits one of our favourite parks, a jungle-filled mountain just north of the Shuangxi river (also a lovely park in its own right). It's filled with gardens and shrines and the top of the mountain has a temple dedicated to a much revered Sage and General called Chen Yuan Kwang who lived 1500 years ago.
Though the temple itself is lovely enough, more interesting still are the statues surrounding it - carved stone representations of characters well known to anyone familiar with the Chinese classic Romance of the Three Kingdoms. And what really makes the climb worth it is the view, a sweeping…
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