Tourism and Recreation
As the ancient capital and cultural capital status, Tainan has plenty to offer, from museums to historical landmarks and shopping districts.
Tainan Art Museum Building 2
Jointly designed by architects Joe Shih and Shigeru Ban Architects, Tainan Art Museum Building 2 is the work of Pritzker Architecture Prize recipient. The design of the building drew inspiration from Delonix regia and its conspicuous pentagonal contours certainly helped to turn the architecture into a cultural landmark that embodies Tainan. The layered structure of different exhibition spaces coupled with the large fractal roof are the most prominent features of Tainan Art Museum Building 2.
Tainan Confucius Temple
The Tainan Confucius Temple was built in 1665 and is the oldest Confucius temple in Taiwan. In the early years, after the Qing Dynasty re-took control of Taiwan, children from all over the island started there education here. As such, it became known as the No. 1 School in Taiwan and a listed historical building.
Hayashi Department Store
The Hayashi Department Store , built in 1932 during the Japanese Colonial Period, reopened on June 30, 2013, after refurbishment. Known as the “five-story building” (五棧樓仔), it was once a bustling hub. After the Japanese Colonial Period, it was abandoned until its restoration as a department store in 2014. Inside, visitors can find limited edition Hayashi goods. Don’t miss the vintage dial-type elevator floor indicator, likely the last of its kind in Taiwan, and the Torii shrine on the top floor. A WWII bomb hole in the wall is a poignant reminder of its history.
Eternal Golden Castle
The Eternal Golden Castle, formerly known as Erkunshen Fort, is located in Anping District, Tainan. Built during the Qing dynasty to defend against foreign threats, it was Taiwan’s first Western-style coastal fortress and remains a highly representative monument in the island’s modern military history.
Local Dishes
When in Tainan, don’t miss the local delicacies, such as refreshing beef soup, and the fragrant and tasty bowl rice cake. The memories of food can never be fully described in words, as they have to be recorded with your taste buds every time you try the food. So let’s begin an amazing food tour at the place where Taiwan food culture originated.
Beef soup
The long queue for beef soup, a popular Tainan delicacy, begins in the early morning. The piping hot broth is drizzled onto the beef from cattle slaughtered on the same day, giving the dish a natural flavor without the need for additional seasoning.
Rice cake
Tainan is famous for its rice dish, and rice cake tops the choice for a traditional Tainan delicacy. The chewy and non-greasy dish is topped with homemade meat sauce, fish floss, gherkin, etc.
Salty porridge
The sumptuous salty porridge is a popular breakfast. The separate rice grains and refreshing soup give the porridge a unique mouthfeel and special characteristics.
Eel noodles
A bowl of delicious eel noodles depends on the texture of the eel and cooking temperature. Be it the chewy texture from dry-frying, or the refreshing mouthfeel with thicken sauce, Tainan’s eel noodles will surely satisfy you.
Tainan Food Information
