What to See in Taipei

Constructed in the memory of Dr. Sun Yat-sen who is the founding father of the Republic of China. The construction of the Memorial commenced in 1965 in conjunction with the 100th anniversary of Sun Yat-sen's birth. It was opened on 16 May 1972, with the majestic architecture and placid landscape covering an area of some 115,500 sq. meters.…

(台北動物園) - Nestled in a tight, lush valley, Taipei zoo has all the leisurely charm of a large park, but you also get the enjoyment of wandering through trees and along lanes with a variety of animals and birds. Unlike many traditional zoos, the animals here are not confined to cages, but allowed to roam freely in open paddocks, and it is a very clean and well maintained facility.…

The memorial hall is a famous but controversial symbol of both Taipei and the Republic of China, as expected of its namesake. It is here that the nation's flag is raised every morning, and the huge courtyard serves as a place for both national celebrations as well as a platform to voice one's disapproval of the government.…

Taiwan's pre-eminent institution of higher education. The campus grounds are surrounded by several blocks of shops, bookshops, cafes and tea houses popular with students and scholars.…

This majestic hotel has graced the photograph albums of numerous generations of Taipei tourists. And, although the increase in other attractions may have led to it losing its status as the must-see-destination, this imposing structure, built in the style of a Beijing palace, still manages to attract bus loads of touris…

The temple was built in 1967 and was devoted to Guangong (A.D. 162-219), a famous deified general who lived during the Three Kingdoms period, and he is an important character in the Chinese classic Romance of the Three Kingdoms. The temple forbids the killing of animals as an offering, so you will see offerings of only fresh flowers, fruits and tea on the main altar.…

Sec. 2. Probably Taiwan's top sight. Due to the Sino-Japanese War the Nationalist Government took artifacts from Beijing so they wouldn't be harmed. After the war ended, the Chinese civil war continued and thus the Kuomintang shipped them to Taiwan. Needless to say, the Communists weren't very happy about this.…

This street located alongside the Danshui River in Dadaocheng, rows of old shophouses from late 1880s hold Taiwan's oldest wholesale dried goods market. On Dihua Street Section 1, Xiahai City God Temple (霞海城隍廟) was built in 1859 to worship City God (城隍爺), who watched over the citizens in the district and decided a person's fate after death.…

Previously called Western Houses Street, this lane once fronted the Danshui River. In the 1880s, the world famous Formosa Oolong Tea came from a nearby wharf. At the time, many wealthy merchants invested in building along the lane in order to attract international trading firms. One was Chen Tian-lai (A.D. 1872-1939), a Taiwanese tea merchant, who was fabulously rich for his time.…

temple memorializing those who gave their lives for the R.O.C. during its tenure on mainland China and it's later existence on Taiwan. A changing of the guard ceremony is performed at the top of the hour where a military honor guard performs an impressive series of gun twirling and tossing in front of astounded tourists.…

This park is on the north side of Katagalan Boulevard and the MRT station 'National Taiwan University Hospital' on the Danshui line. The park was founded by the Japanese in 1907, and was originally called New Park (新公園). The name was changed in 1996 to commemorate those killed in the 228 Incident of 28 February 1947.…

A small hill is located in the south of Tianmu's Yangming Hospital, and north of the Shuangxi river. The Zhishan Hill (Zhishanyan 芝山岩), one of the oldest archaeological excavation sites in Taiwan. Along the trail, you can see many historic heritages in this hill, the Huiji Temple (惠濟宮), Fortified Gate, small temple and an old camphor tree over 300 years old.…

(天文館), 363 Jihe Road (a ten minute walk from either Shilin or Jiantan MRT stations). [http://www.tam.gov.tw/] This modern museum offers a hands-on introduction to our universe. In addition to the permanent exhibits, there is also a Imax dome theater, an observatory and a 3D movie theater.…

Construction began on this temple in 1805 and it was completed 25 years later. Baoan is a Taoist temple and one of the leading religious sites in Taipei. The temple's main deity is the emperor Baosheng, the god of medicine.…

NCCU, often abbreviated to Zhengda (政大), is Taiwan's leading national university focused on humanities and social sciences. It is large with lots of greenery and open spaces. There are hiking trails up the mountains in the back of the campus with teahouses and temples all over the hills.…

On the same plot of land as the Taipei Fine Arts Museum, this tea merchant's 19th century European style house has been converted into a space for telling the story of Taipei and tea. There are permanent exhibits on these subjects as well as visiting exhibitions and the occasional traditional music concert.…

You can also go up to the outdoor observatory on the 91st floor (note that while it's possible to go to the outdoor observatory in a wheelchair, the view is negligible, as the concrete railing is too high to see over).…

Just next to Bao'an Temple, the Confucius Temple was built in 1879 when the Qing Court changed Taipei into a prefecture of the Province of Fujian, China. It was established to serve as the largest educational center in northern Taiwan.…

This is a small, private museum that is a monument to patient and steady hand. The 40 bulb chandelier, which is the size of grain of rice, is one of the many impressive pieces on display. Transportation from the Main Station on buses 307, 527, alight at Nanjing East Road and the Jian-guo North Road intersection.…

This former brewery has been transformed into a creative space in a park. The exhibitions here are well presented and imaginative and the theater performances, while less formal than those at the National Theater, are still first rate.…

Private collection of lions in Chinese culture, from statues to lion dance masks, passing by Tibetan prayer flags, doors, plates. It is a beautiful little museum that will teach you a lot about the different roles of lions in Chinese culture.…

This temple is where countless generations of Taipei citizens have come to pray and seek guidance at times of trouble. As the temple is dedicated to Guanyin (the Buddhist representation of compassion) it is officially defined as Buddhist, but there is a great amount of folk religion mixed into the fabric of the beliefs…

Built during the Japanese occupation, this beautiful Euro-Japanese style building was once the main public bath in Beitou. It has been lovingly restored and was re-opened in its current form in 1998.…

This beautiful garden has inspired the citizens of Taipei for over one hundred years. The lotus ponds are a hallmark of the park and are especially captivating when the these symbols of peace are in full bloom and swaying in the summer breeze. The gardens are close to the National Museum of History.

The buildings were completed in the period of Japanese rule on December 26, 1936. In 1945, The former Taipei City Hall was renamed as Zhongshan Hall. In 1992, the building has been identified to Second monuments of the country. Later it was assigned as a cultural space that hosts cultural and art events.

The world's second fastest elevators will zip visitors up to the 89th-floor observation deck in a mere 37 seconds. It's worth taking a ride up, as the views are stunning. The best time to visit would be in the late afternoon when you spend a couple of hours and see both day and night views of Taipei.

The park rests on 26 hectares in central Taipei bordered by Xinyi Road, Jianguo South Road, Heping East Road, and Xinsheng South Road. Due to its size and location, it is also known as Taipei Central Park. Bus lines 15, 52, 235, 278, 284, 20, 22, Xinyi Main Line service this park.

Built during the Japanese colonial period as the residence of the Governor-General of Taiwan, currently used as the official residence of the President of the Republic of China. Public access is generally restricted to specific open house days which are published on the web-site.

This village provides residency programs for Taiwanese artists and others from around the world. They provide gallery and studio space for artists. They also have a few cafes which are excellent for a mid-day break while exploring Taipei.

16, Ln 515, Zhongyang North Road sec.4. Just east of Guandu MRT station on Danshui Line, this is the first glass works museum in Taiwan and Asia. Open Tues-Sun, 9AM - 5PM. Adults, NT$100, concessions NT$50, Group tickets NT$80.

This museum is in 'Peace Park' (near Taipei Main Station) in a splendid Baroque and Renaissance style building. Opened in 1899, it was Taiwan's first museum and focuses on anthropology and the fauna and flora of the island.

This museum was founded by Su Ho Chen, one of Taiwan's last few masters of papermaking, and who was killed in 1990 in a plane crash. You can enjoy exhibits about paper, and make your own sheet of paper here.

Near the Ximending shopping area, the Red House was Taiwan's first modern market as well as a theater in Japanese rule before, now there is an exhibition hall and a small playhouse.

Home to several research institutions, such as the Genomic Research Center, the Institute of Biomedical Sciences, and the Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology.

MOCA Taipei is Taiwan's first art space dedicated to contemporary work. The red brick, former Taipei City Hall is easy to locate on an otherwise unexceptional road.

This museum is in Taipei Botanical Garden, and is famous for its varied selection of exhibits, including Tang dynasty tri-color pottery and Shang dynasty bronzes.

Sec. 2., opposite the National Palace Museum. This museum houses exhibitions of Aboriginal culture and lifestyle. An English audio guide is available.

Located just inside the main entrance of Taipei City Hall, this is a good place to know the history and culture of Taipei City.

This ten story building is dedicated to the Aboriginal culture that once flourished in the Beitou area.

This well-organized night market, attracts tourists from both overseas and across the country

The museum displays work of local and international artists.

Taipei’s trade-show venue

Another artist village.