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The Tokyo-based Pure Land Mission opened this Buddhist shrine during the Japanese colonial period. The nine-story pagoda beside the temple is used to hold religious books and scriptures, and also an exhibition of Buddhist art which is open to the public. The highlight is a wood carving of the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy almost a thousand years old. It will cost you nothing to get in and enjoy this wonder.
This nice path begins to the south side of the Tam Sui MRT station, and runs all the way to the Hung Shu Lin MRT stop. Besides offering great views of the town of Pa Li and Kuan Yin Mountain on the other side of the river, it provides access to one of Taiwan's few remaining mangrove swamps. The route is more popular with joggers and walkers than cyclists; a leisurely stroll from one end to the other takes about an hour.
Most Taiwanese houses used to look like the Lin An Tai homestead. Only a few of these traditional houses, with beautiful, sloping Chinese roofs and courtyards in the center, remain today. These stone and brick houses are based on a design that dates back to the Qing dynasty. Interestingly, Lin An Tai home was actually built in a different part of Taipei City in 1783 and moved here nearly 200 years later. This house has been preserved to educate people about Taiwan's history and is definitely worth a visit. Admission is free.
One of the biggest parks in Taipei, Youth Park is for the little ones of Taiwan. Placed along the banks of the Xin Dian River, this park features a skating rink, swimming pool, tennis and basketball courts, playground and a lot of greenery. Although it is crowded with families and children on weekends, the park is so vast it is easy to escape from the ords.
The festival of Teacher's day or Confucius' Birthday is held in late September of the Gregorian calendar at the Confucius Temple to honor the greatest of Chinese educators. The unusual ceremony on the morning of the 28th of September begins at around 4a and continues until just after sunrise. . During the ceremony, students line up in eight rows and each student holds a goose feather, which represents the writing instrument of ancient times in honor of education and the ideals of their supreme educator.
Built in 1738 in order to worship Kuanyin, the goddess of mercy. For more than 200 years, it survived from earthquakes to wars. Now days it is one of the most popular temples in Taipei, and it is always crowded with visitors from all around the island. Smoke fills the chambers as worshipers burn incense for the goddess. The Ching-dynasty style buildings are decorated with huge, complex sculptures and colorful paintings. The Lungshan temple is visited for its architectural merits and also as a house of worship.
Placed across the street from the Confucius Temple in Taipei, this Taoist temple is dedicated to the god of medicine. Early immigrants from Fujien Province brought the statue of the god to Taiwan in the late 18th century. During the Japanese occupation of Taiwan, the temple was used as a language school and factory. After the Japanese discontinued their use of the site, it was neglected until it was finally refurbished in the early 1900s.
The Botanical Gardens are home to a beautiful lotus pond and very large gardens lined with an extense variety of plants and trees. The walkways are mark with signs explaining the classification of the different flora, making your visit an educational experience. The gardens are so vast that it is easy to forget that you are actually in a large and extremely noisy city.
Located at the intersection of Chong Qing South Road and Ketagelan Avenue, the Presidential Palace is the most prominent among the important government ministries and offices situated to the east of Taipei New Park. Completed in 1919, the five-story complex has a prominent central tower. The complex is a good example of colonial Japanese architecture, with red brick walls and gray-capped towers. Interesting to observe here are the numerous security officers and uniformed military guards who stand at all entranceways.
The majority of Taiwanese houses used to look like the Lin An Tai homestead. Only a few of these traditional houses, with beautiful, sloping Chinese roofs and courtyards in the center,are still around. A weird fact is that Lin An Tai home was actually built in a different part of Taipei City in 1783 and moved to this area nearly 200 years later. This house has been preserved to educate people about Taiwan's history and is definitely worth a visit. The admission is free and it's something you want to see if you are remotely interested in world's architecture.
About me:
Nick: Morpheus
Name : Mike Adams
Age : 27
Born in: Texas going to live to taiwan!
Hobbies : right now All the fun I have is study
