Old Japanese Patriotic Women’s Association
Old Japanese Patriotic Women’s Association (台南愛國婦人會館) For the last few years, this fantastic remainder of the Japanese era has sat behind iron fences and sheet metal while it went through an extensive restoration process. In the summer of 2011, however, this beautiful building was unwrapped and given back to the city. Situated directly across from … Continue reading
National Cheng Kung University
National Cheng Kung University (Guólì Chénggōng Dàxué 國立成功大學) Many foreigners arrive in Tainan as either a student, guest lecturer, or visiting faculty at National Cheng Kung University; however, the school also holds interest for those outside of the academic world. Like many universities, the campuses of NCKU are full of culture, history, and nice places … Continue reading
Julius Mannich Merchant House
Julius Mannich Merchant House (Dōngxīng Yángháng 東興洋行) Foreigners were barred from trading in Taiwan for most of the Qing dynasty, but the 1858 Treaty of Tianjin forced open four harbors in Taiwan to foreign traders. Anping was one of them. The five big foreign trading companies of the time were Bains & Co., Boyd & … Continue reading
Old Tainan District Courthouse
Old Tainan District Courthouse (Táinán Dìfāng Fǎyuàn 台南地方法院) Compared with the new courthouse on Jiankang Road in Anping, which is a modern building that looks large enough to employ half the city, the old courthouse seems antiquated and small. That wasn’t the case when the old courthouse was built. It was an immense and modern … Continue reading
Presbyterian Legacy in Tainan
Presbyterian Legacy in Tainan The Presbyterian Church of Taiwan is the largest Christian denomination in Taiwan and has had a long and involved history with the culture and politics of the island. People serving the church have been an evangelical force, a voice for Taiwan independence, a promoter of the Taiwanese language, and a provider … Continue reading
Japanese-Era Shop Houses
Japanese-Era Shop-Houses Tainan has beautiful historic temples and attractive modern sky-rises, but through most of the city, the clutter of signs, shop-houses, and apartments are pretty unappealing to the eye. Lets face it. Much of what was built in Tainan from the fifties through the eighties is nothing short of ugly. Most apartments and shop-houses … Continue reading
Old Union Hall and Wu’s Garden
Old Union Hall and Wu’s Garden (Yuán Táinán Gōnghuìtáng 原台南公會堂) Tucked into the middle of the city is the former garden of a wealthy 19th century businessman named Wu, and upon its grounds is the old Union Hall where town meetings were held during the Japanese period. The garden and hall were built for separate … Continue reading
Old Tainan Prefecture Hall (National Museum of Taiwan Literature)
Whether a tourist or resident of Tainan, it is unlikely the large European-style building on the Minsheng traffic circle has escaped your eyes. It seems a bit out of place and is so well-restored that it almost looks like it was recently built to serve as the newly conceived National Museum of Taiwan Literature that … Continue reading
Anping Oyster Shell Cement Kiln
Anping Oyster Shell Cement Kiln (Ānpíng Kēhuīyáo Wénhuà Guǎn 安平蚵灰窯文化館) There’s a well-known theory among Taiwanese that their traditional brick houses all have ants due to the cement used to mortar the bricks together. From as early as the 17th century and as recent as the 1970s, locals used a cement mixed from oyster ash, … Continue reading
Tainan Wude Hall (Old Tainan Martial Arts Academy)
Tainan Wude Hall While the Japanese built many modern buildings in Taiwan, finding traditional Japanese buildings is a little more difficult. Wude Hall is one of the few examples of traditional Japanese architecture in Tainan. The Japanese built it as a martial training center for police, military, and other citizens. Several martial arts halls were … Continue reading
Tainan City Guide 