Solemnity and Quiet Beauty: A Stroll through Taipei Martyrs' Shrine

The Taipei Martyrs' Shrine stands quietly on Aiguo East Road in Zhongzheng District. It is a solemn hall for commemorating heroes and martyrs, and also a secret place that combines classical aesthetics and humanistic feelings. This ancestral temple, which was built in imitation of the Imperial Ancestral Temple in Peking, has a solemn outline with three layers of white marble Sumeru pedestals and green tiles and flying eaves. In front of the temple, there are green pines like a canopy, and the names of the heroes of the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression are engraved in the stele corridor. It is a spiritual gateway for understanding Taiwan's modern history. Historical Echoes It is recommended to visit in the early morning or evening. The morning light will add a golden glow to the gilded plaque, and the lanterns will gradually light up in the twilight, making it even more quaint and quiet. The martyrs' spirit tablets and the plaque "Loyalty and Martyrdom for Thousands of Years" enshrined in the main hall silently tell the story of those iron-blooded times. Remember to stop at the stele corridor and touch the mottled carvings on the bluestone. Those names tempered by war convey the warmth of history through your fingertips. Architectural Aesthetics Don’t forget to look up at the colorful caisson paintings. The more than 2,000 painted brackets are like solidified music, and the colorful phoenixes and auspicious clouds are looming in the darkness. The stone drums and steles on both sides of the stone steps in front of the hall are carved with auspicious cloud and lotus patterns. Every detail is the crystallization of traditional craftsmanship. In late spring and early summer, the kapok trees in front of the temple are covered with snow-like catkins, which contrast beautifully with the bluestone floor tiles to create a poetic scene. Visiting Tips • Opening hours: 09:00-17:00 (closed on Mondays) • Transportation: Walk 10 minutes from Exit 2 of Songjiang Nanjing MRT Station, or take bus No. 15, 202, etc. to the "Martyrs' Shrine" stop • Etiquette: Please speak softly when entering the temple, and do not wear sleeveless clothes or shorts • Hidden gameplay: Free guided tours are available at 14:30 on the first Saturday of each month, and you can make an appointment to experience hand-made rubbings Explore the surrounding area Yixian Park, across the street from the Martyrs' Shrine, houses a bronze statue of Sun Yat-sen and a cafe converted from an old Japanese house. The Taipei Botanical Garden is a 15-minute walk away, and the water lilies and ferns in the greenhouse area are a great place to heal the body and mind. If you have enough time, you may want to visit the nearby Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall to complete a city hike that combines history and nature. This palace, soaked in time, is both a place of remembrance and a palace of aesthetics. When the hustle and bustle of the city fades away, come here to listen to the heartbeat of history and let the blue bricks and black tiles tell stories that should not be forgotten. #Taipei Attractions