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Taipei · History

City Walls, Governors and a Square for Freedom

Every chapter of modern Taipei fits into the Zhongzheng district: the walled city the Qing dynasty completed in 1884, the government buildings of Japanese rule between 1895 and 1945, the 228 Incident of 1947, the long decades of martial law and the transition to democracy. This route links them on foot, without doubling back: a neoclassical museum, a former radio station, the governors' palace, a gate from the old city wall and the square where students demanded free elections in 1990.

  • 6 stops
  • 2.1 km
  • 2 h
  • Free
Start with GPS Read about this stop 1
Taipei's Presidential Office Building, red brick with white bands and a tall central tower, at the end of Ketagalan Boulevard

The route

Stop by stop

  1. 1 National Taiwan MuseumA Greek temple at the end of the avenue, built on the ruins of a shrine to the goddess of the sea.
  2. 2 228 Peace Memorial Park and 228 Memorial MuseumThe radio station from which, in February 1947, Taipei's protest reached the whole island.
  3. 3 Presidential Office BuildingThe red-brick palace built by the Japanese governors, now home to Taiwan's presidency.
  4. 4 East Gate (Jingfu Gate)A gate without a wall in the middle of a roundabout: what remains of the Qing walled city.
  5. 5 Liberty Square, National Theater and Concert HallThe vast plaza where, in March 1990, thousands of students carrying a white lily called for free elections.
  6. 6 Chiang Kai-shek Memorial HallA white marble monument with a blue roof and 89 steps, which Taiwan is still debating how to remember.

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Start with GPS

Guide mode

Walk it with GPS.

Open guide mode on your phone: you’ll see your position and the distance to each stop, and we’ll let you know when you arrive. Then read or listen.

Start with GPS

  1. Turn on your location

  2. Walk to the spot

  3. Check the photo and listen

What you’ll discover

City Walls, Governors and a Square for Freedom

Fifty years of Japanese rule

The National Taiwan Museum and the Presidential Office Building, completed in 1915 and 1919, remain the great architectural symbols of that era.

Remembering 228

A former radio station, now a museum, tells how a protest in February 1947 became one of the deepest tragedies in the island's history.

From martial law to the ballot box

Liberty Square sums up the road from 1949 to the first direct presidential election in 1996.

Keep exploring

More routes in Taipei

Back to Taipei
Mysteries & legendsGods, Oracles and Ghosts of Old Bangka MixedFrom Ximending to the River: Markets, Gates and Dadaocheng Tea

Itineraries

How many days do you have in Taipei?

We’ve planned it day by day for you: which routes to walk and in what order, what else to see and where to eat.

1

Taipei in 1 day

All three routes in one full day: the highlights, the history and the legends at dusk.

See the itinerary 2

Taipei in 2 days

A gentler pace: the three routes over two days, plus extra sights and where to eat.

See the itinerary 3

Taipei in 3 days

The city in depth: one route a day, extra museums and neighbourhoods, and a day for good food.

See the itinerary