Red House (Ximen Red House)

In front of you stands Taiwan's most famous red-brick octagon. Today it is a cultural centre with design shops, but it was born in 1908 as the first covered public market built by the Japanese government in Taipei.

1A market for the new city

The Japanese arriving in Taipei settled inside the old city wall, and they needed a modern market. The architect Kondō Jūrō, freshly arrived from Tokyo Imperial University, designed a complex in two parts: this octagon, which served as the entrance and sold fine goods, and behind it a cross-shaped hall for fresh produce. He used techniques that were advanced for the time, such as reinforced concrete.

2A plot full of graves

The chosen site was an old cemetery. In March 1908 the authorities asked families to claim their graves; more than nine hundred with known owners were moved, along with over two thousand that nobody claimed.

It is often said that the octagonal shape was meant to ward off evil spirits from the old cemetery. However, no document shows that the architect had anything of the kind in mind.

Around the market grew Ximending, the district of cinemas and theatres. After the war the octagon became a venue for opera, variety shows and films, and today it is a city monument. The neighbourhood is still where Taipei's young people meet.

3What to look for

• The white bands across the red brick of the octagon.
• The roof lantern, which once lit the interior.
• The cross-shaped hall behind, with its church-like structure.