Taipei Guest House

The Taipei Guest House (Chinese: 臺北賓館; pinyin: Táiběi Bīnguǎn) is the historical building located at 1 Ketagalan Boulevard, Bo'ai Special Zone, Zhongzheng District, Taipei, Taiwan. It is owned by the Government of the Republic of China and used as a state guest house for receiving state guests or celebration activities.

Taipei Guest House
臺北賓館
General information
LocationZhongzheng, Taipei, Taiwan
Coordinates25.0401°N 121.5166°E / 25.0401; 121.5166
Construction startedApril 1899
Completed26 September 1901
OwnerGovernment of the Republic of China
Design and construction
ArchitectDogo Fukuda, Ichiro Nomura
Building interior

History

Designed by Japanese architects Dōgo Fukuda and Ichiro Nomura, the structure was built from 1899 to 1901 and rebuilt by Matsunosuke Moriyama.

Taipei Guest House originally was the House of the Governor-General of Taiwan during the Japanese period, situated about 100 meters from the Office of the Governor-General of Taiwan (now the Presidential Building). Imperial members and heads of politics often visited here. Emperor Showa (Crown Prince Hirohito) also stayed here when visiting Taiwan. After Taiwan was handed over to the Republic of China, ROC Minister of Foreign Affairs George Yeh and Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs Isao Kawada signed the Treaty of Taipei here in 1952.

In 1988, Taipei Guest House was designated by the government of Taiwan and administrated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Taiwan.

Architecture

The main architecture of the building is concave shaped, having a roof in Mansard style and high Roman pillars, mainly in a style of French Second Empire palace buildings. Inside the building there is a resplendent suspension light decorated with crystal, baroque gold leaves and flowers and gold foil; outside the building there is a modern Japanese curtilage garden. Taipei Guest House is the representative work of Taiwanese buildings under Japanese rule, also called the most graceful baroque residence house.

Taipei Guest House is open to the public on the first Sunday in even months from 4 June 2006.

Transportation

The building is accessible within walking distance south east of NTU Hospital Station of Taipei Metro.

See also
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