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Taipei

Revolutionary Martyrs’ Shrine

This shrine is located on Peian Road. The whole complex is built in the palace style of the Ming dynasty, duplicating exactly the arched portals of the main gate, a vast courtyard, guest pavilions, drums, and bell towers. The shrine is sanctified to the lost heroes of China's war. The names of those fallen heroes are inscribed beside murals at the main shrine, depicting their feats. A guard is recruited to guard the shrine and a new guard takes over every hour. The late Chiang Kaishek often visited the shrine and spent long hours walking around the halls and grounds of the Martyrs' Shrine. This shrine is opened daily to the public.

 

Kong Miao Confucius Temple

Kong Miao Confucius Temple, which is located on Talung Street, is a peaceful retreat compared to the city’s other temples. There are not many worshippers, gongs and drums and the gaudy idols. The images of Confucius are absent too. The tranquility matches what Confucius preached - the virtues of peace and quiet. The architecture of the temple is subtle and highlighted by impressive roofs.

 

 

National Palace Museum

The most important attraction in Taipei is the National Palace Museum, which opened in 1965. It is a complex of beige brick buildings accompanied by green and imperial yellow roofs. The displays in the Palace Museum change from time to time. They consist of some 6,000 works of art representing the zenith of 5,000 years of Chinese creativity. And these are just a portion of the more than 700,000 paintings, porcelains, bronzes, rubbings, tapestries, books and other art objects.

 

Taipei New Park

Taipei New Park, which opened in 1907, features ponds, pagodas, and pavilions. The best time to take a walk at New Park is in the morning, when you can see the city’s residents performing various forms of Taiji, Shaolin and other disciplines. To the east of the park, you can find most of the important government buildings. The most important building of all is the Presidential Building.

 

Chiang Kaishek Memorial Hall

The Chiang Kaishek Memorial Hall is a trademark of Taipei city. Based at Chungshan South Road, close to the East Gate, this amazingly huge structure was built in 1980 during the fifth anniversary of Chiang Kaishek's death. The hall is 76 meters high and dominates the landscaped ground. Inside the hall is a 25-ton bronze statue of the late president. A high magnificent arch acts as a welcoming entrance. Architecture styles follow that of the Ming Dynasty, which features 18 different styles of traditional Chinese windows at eye-level along the whole perimeter wall. The memorial hall closes at 5 p.m., but the adjacent park grounds remain open for evening jaunts and joggers.

The Chiang Kaishek Cultural Center also houses the National Opera House, which is built in Chinese palace style, and the Concert Hall. Both houses are used for opera and concert performances by local and international artistes.

Lungshan

Among Taipei’s myriad temples, the oldest and most famous is Lungshan or Dragon Mountain. The name refers to the large collection of dragons on its roof. It was built to honor Taiwan’s deities, Kuan Yin and Matsu. The building was unintentionally hit by an Allied air raid in 1945. The hall was totally destroyed but yet the wooden statue of Kuan Yin somehow withstood the flames. The main hall was rebuilt in 1957. In addition to the Kuan Yin statue, the temple is renowned for its fine stone sculpture, woodcarving and bronze work.

Hsingtien Temple

This Taoist temple is on Minchuan E. Road, Sec. 2, in the northeast quadrant of the city. The main god is the red-faced, black-bearded Kuan Kung who is worshipped by members of the public day and night. A miniature garden gazebo built around a tiny pond is found outside the temple. The Chinese are known to consolidate elements of nature into temple designs and architecture.

 

Shin Kong Tower

Just opposite the train station and surpassing the Taipei Hilton is the Shin Kong Tower, a pride of Taipei. As it is 245-meters-tall, high speed elevators are built to shoot visitors upwards at 540 meters per minute, thus taking only 35 seconds to reach the observatory on the 49th floor (out of 51 floors). In the observatory, old black-and-white mezzotints delineating Taipei of yesteryear surrounds the inner wall. The tower has been a significant landmark in Taipei since 1994 and has become a popular spot for tourists and locals.