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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.
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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 which heralded the start of Taiwan's martial-law era.
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Bao-An Temple
It began with humble Qing-dynasty origins, but today the Taoist Bao-An Temple is one of the city's leading religious sites. The original, wooden structure was completed in 1760 by immigrants from Fujian province who brought their own materials with them. The current temple, dating from 1805, took 25 years to build.
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Botanical Gardens
A beautiful oasis in Taipei's funky west side, the Botanical Gardens has greenhouses featuring a vast variety of lush plants, literature- and Chinese-zodiac-themed gardens and a marvellous lotus pond.
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Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall
Whether the imposing Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall will always be known as the Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall is anybody's guess. Many and strident are the voices in the high halls of Taiwan's government calling for this 70m-tall memorial to Taiwan's one-time dictator to be renamed, and the massive statue removed.
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Children's Recreation Centre
The large Children's Recreation Centre features a 'world of yesterday' with historical Chinese toys and folk arts, and a 'world of tomorrow' with, among other things, a planetarium.
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Ciyou Temple
Right across from Songshan railway station, the Ciyou Temple is dedicated to the goddess Matsu and is one of the oldest in the city. But Ciyou temple has another thing going for it besides age; noise. Specifically, on the day of Matsu's birthday, when the temple is said to hold the loudest, most colourful birthday celebrations in Taiwan, resplendent with gongs, music and firecrackers.
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CKS Shilin Residence Park
Once upon a time this multifaceted botanical garden, the CKS Shilin Residence Park was part of the sprawling estate of Generalissimo and Mrs Chiang Kai-shek. They ruled the gardens with an iron hand, overseeing the pruning, weeding and other daily gardening tasks from their palatial home overlooking the estates, all the while dreaming of their inevitable triumphant retaking of mainland China.
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Confucius Temple
Modelled after the temple in Confucius' native town of Shandong, the Confucius Temple is based on classical Chinese temple architecture. Confucius (551-479 BC) is generally acknowledged as China's greatest educator and scholar. In his day, education was exclusive to nobility but Confucius successfully promoted popular education.
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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. An inspired (by MC Escher or perhaps LSD) building to say the least, from the outside CPC looks like a gigantic golf ball being embraced by a stone sarcophagus.
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Dihua Market
The several blocks that make up the Dihua market are Taipei's best-preserved examples of historic architecture. Building styles range from Fujianese to Baroque to modernist. The area is sometimes called 'Grocery Street', and for most of the year it's thought of as a good place for buying traditional Chinese medicines and herbs, bolts of cloth and sundries.
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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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Fine Arts Museum
This airy, four storey, constructed in the 1980s, box of marble, glass and concrete showcases contemporary art, with a particular focus on Taiwanese artists. Although the Fine Arts Museum features exhibits that change annually, works from the permanent collection are always on display. These include pieces by Taiwanese painters and sculptors from the Japanese period to the present.
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Hsiahai City God Temple
Others may be larger and grander, but the Hsiahai City God Temple teems with character and characters. It's also one of the best-preserved temples in the city and has had the same appearance for over a century. Visit on the city god's birthday (the 13th day of the fifth lunar month) for one of Taipei's biggest, loudest and most lively celebrations.
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Lin Antai Old Homestead
This is Taipei's oldest residential building. The southern Fujian style 30-room house was built during the years 1783-87, near what is now Dunhua S Rd. It was gradually expanded as this wealthy merchant family grew. The home reached its present size in 1823.
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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.
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Longshan Temple
Religious life in Taiwan is alive and kicking seven days a week at the 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.
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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 'Sweet Jesus, I can't believe someone had the patience and steadiness of hand to create something so small and intricate!' Among the most (of many) astounding articles on display is a 40-bulb chandelier no bigger than a single grain of rice. A most impressive little museum indeed.
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Museum Of Contemporary Art Taipei
Taiwan's first Museum Of Contemporary Art Taipei dedicated explicitly to contemporary art occupies an important Japanese-era building that was once Taipei's city hall. Shows are all special exhibits and fill anything from one gallery to the entire museum; they might include architecture, design, fashion, digital and video art and even comic books. Check the website for current exhibition information.
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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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National Palace Museum
The National Palace Museum is home to what could quite easily be termed the world's largest and finest collection of Chinese art; it is unfortunate that the overall interior setup of the museum does not match with the grandeur of the collection.
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National Revolutionary Martyrs' Shrine
Against a backdrop of mountains across the Keelung River from the city centre, the monumental National Revolutionary Martyrs' Shrine enshrines the dead of the wars fought on behalf of the ROC. The complex covers around 5000 sq metres and the main sanctuary was modelled after the Taiho Palace in Beijing. Plaques, paintings and friezes in the arcade surrounding the main sanctuary describe the details of various 20th-century rebellions and battles.
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National Taiwan Science Education Centre
If this place doesn't bring out the kid in you, than there's no kid in you to be brought out. The National Taiwan Science Education Centre is one of the coolest children's museums we've yet to find in Asia. Interactive exhibits cover the gamut of scientific knowledge, from anatomy (a walk-through digestive tract!) to zoology (a cat-head-shaped helmet that gives the wearer feline hearing powers).
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Postal Museum
Can't imagine six storeys of exhibits about mail and stamps? Think again. This museum showcases around 80,000 stamps from over 120 countries, postal uniforms, hardware and signage from around 30 countries, plus models of Taiwanese mail-delivery methods of yore (buffalo-skin raft, anyone?). It's as quirky as it is impressive.
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Presidential Building
Built in 1919 as the headquarters of the then-occupying Japanese forces, the Presidential Building has housed the offices of the president since 1949. Its ornate brickwork is typical of the Japanese era, and at 85m it was the tallest building in town for decades.
