Historic sites to open their doors

For the first time ever in Taiwan, this weekend all major historical sites throughout the country, including those usually closed to the public, will be open to visitors, free of charge.

On Saturday and Sunday the public will be able to visit historical monuments, architectural sites, art galleries, museums and the Presidential Office as part of the international Heritage Days.

The event, held each year on the third weekend of September, was first initiated by France's Ministry of Culture and Communication in 1984 and has since been adopted in many countries across Europe.

According to Tchen Yu-chiou (陳郁秀), head of Taiwan's Council for Cultural Affairs, the purpose of the Heritage Days is "to make sure the concept of preserving cultural heritage in Taiwan is in step with the rest of the world." The program will "help alert the Taiwanese people to the importance of preserving their cultural heritage" and ensure that Taiwan's cultural legacy becomes part of the cultural heritage of the international community.

Saturday will also mark the Hu-wei Fortress Historic Site Day (滬尾砲台古蹟日) in the northern port town of Tamsui. Ambassadors and representatives of foreign countries to Taiwan and non-governmental organizations will be invited to join the public for a variety of cultural performances.

Tamsui, at the mouth of the Tamsui River, was guarded by Hu-wei Fortress beginning about 300 years ago, when Taiwan emerged as a key hub in emerging international trade. First established by the Spanish, the strategic location was the site of conflicts between colonial powers seeking to gain a foothold on the sea lanes which pass Taiwan.

In Taipei, the public will be able to visit the Presidential Office, the Control Yuan (監察院), the Taipei Guest House (台北賓館), the Taipei Judicial Building (司法大廈) and the Monopoly Bureau (專賣局), among other sites. These buildings were all constructed during the Japanese colonial occupation of Taiwan between 1895 and 1945. The Taipei Guest House was built in 1901 as the Japanese colonial governor's residence and is the oldest of the official buildings to be opened this weekend. The buildings offer representative examples of Japanese, British Victorian, Baroque and French Mansard architecture and design both inside and outside and in their gardens.

The nationwide open house will involve more than 300 historic sites around Taiwan and on its outer islands. For more information on the sites and their opening hours, check with county or city cultural bureaus at the numbers provided at right.

County and city culture bureaus

● Taipei County: (02) 2253-4412

● Taipei City: (02) 2345-1556

● Keelung City: (02) 2422-4170

● Taoyuan County: (03) 332-2592

● Hsinchu County: (03) 551-0201

● Hsinchu City: (03) 531-9756

● Miaoli County: (03) 735-2961

● Taichung County: (04) 628-0166

● Taichung City: (04) 372-7311

● Changhua County: (04) 725-0057

● Nantou County: (04) 923-1191

● Yunlin County: (05) 532-7613

● Chiayi County: (05) 379-9978

● Chiayi City: (05) 278-8225

● Tainan County: (06) 632-4116

● Tainan City: (06) 390-1016

● Kaohsiung County: (07) 626-2620

● Kaohsiung City: (07) 222-5136● Pingtung County: (08) 736-0331

● Taitung County: (08) 932-0378

● Ilan County: (03) 932-2440

● Hualien County: (03)8227121

● Penghu County: (06) 926-1141

● Matsu: (08) 362-2393

● Kinmen: (08) 2328638