Visiting ancient forts in Taiwan

The ramparts surrounding Hobe Fort. Photo: T.D.AS

Following the explorers, merchants, and missionaries, representatives of Western colonial powers from Portugal, Spain, the Netherlands, England, and other countries successively "landed" on Formosa.

These nations opened trading ports, built trading posts, and, in particular, erected forts guarding the river and sea entrances to protect Western merchant ships coming here to trade. Later, they used these places for military purposes during the occupation and rule of the island.

Historical evidence

Over 300 years have passed, yet many fortresses built by Westerners and Chinese in Taiwan still stand. Many of these ancient fortresses have become historical sites, protected, restored, and renovated by the central and local governments of Taiwan, transforming them into attractive tourist destinations that draw visitors to explore and learn about the past of this beautiful island.

Anping Ancient Fortress (安平古堡) is located on the banks of the Taijiang River in Tainan City, southern Taiwan. It is a fortress built by the Dutch in 1624, serving as a base for Dutch soldiers and merchants south of Formosa.

In 1975, the Taiwanese government restored the structures within the Anping Fortress. From the brick walls built by the Dutch; the watchtowers and observation posts (during the Zheng Chenggong era); the guard towers, barracks, and administrative center (during the Japanese occupation), the site was transformed into an open-air museum for visitors.

An Bình ancient fortress inscribed with the words "An Bình" at An Bình fort. Photo: T.Đ.AS

Meanwhile, in northern Taiwan, Fort San Domingo sits atop a hill overlooking the Tamsui River estuary (now Tamsui County, New Taipei City, in northwestern Taiwan). It is a historic fortress in Tamsui County.

Originally a wooden fortress built by the Spanish in 1628, it was named San Domingo Fortress. Currently, after numerous conflicts, the fortress has become a National Historic Site, studied, excavated, and restored by Taiwanese archaeologists and conservationists, with some ancient structures being preserved for tourists.

About 1 km north of San Dominica is Hobe Fortress (滬尾砲台). In the 1880s, a war took place in northern Vietnam between the Qing Dynasty (China) and the French army, which history books call the "Sino-French War".

After the war, the Qing dynasty decided to strengthen Taiwan's coastal defenses with fortifications at Keelung, Tainan (Zeelandia Fortress), and Tamsui.

The then-Governor of Taiwan, Liu Ming-chuan, strengthened the defenses of Taiwan's coastal areas. He hired German expert Lieut Max E. Hecht to help build 10 new forts at river mouths such as Penghu, Keelung, Huwei, and Anping… Among them was Hobe Fort near the Tamsui River estuary.

In 1985, the Taiwanese military withdrew from Fort Hobe, handing it over to the Ministry of Interior . The New Taipei City government restored the fort, recognized it as a national monument, and opened it to the public. Because the fort never saw combat, it remains almost completely intact.

The entire fortress is well-preserved, and a museum has been opened inside to display images and videos about the history of Hobe Fort, including evidence of the French landing at Tamsui during the Sino-French War in the 1880s.

Preserving ancient architecture

I spent two days visiting three fortresses: Anping, San Domingo, and Hobe. The Taiwanese have done an excellent job preserving these historical sites, from archaeological excavations and the preservation of ancient architecture to the creation of historical timelines, and the inclusion of original and supplementary artifacts in displays to authentically recreate the past and provide knowledge for those who wish to learn more.

A view of An Binh fortress. Photo: T.D.AS

In particular, Taiwanese people do not distinguish between heritage from the occupation period or the period of independence; glorious or shameful periods; built by invaders, by mainland Chinese, or by the indigenous people of Formosa… All are preserved as best as possible and put into service for tourism with maximum amenities, making visitors very satisfied when visiting and learning about these historical sites.

I asked Ms. Wong, the tour guide at Hobe Fortress: "Why, despite the colonial traces and remnants left by the invaders, are Hobe and other forts still preserved intact?"

Ms. Wong replied, "It's a part of Taiwan's history. We preserve it all so that future generations in Taiwan can have a full understanding of this country, and so that international visitors can have a clearer and more complete understanding of the island nation's history."

Source: https://baoquangnam.vn/tham-cac-phao-dai-co-o-dai-loan-3134505.html