Standing guard over the Zhongzheng District of Taipei City, the National Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall personifies a major cosmopolitan city that honours its traditional past. Named for a former president of the Republic of China, it commemorates Chiang Kai-shek's life and career alongside exhibits documenting the development of Taiwan. Spanning 240,000 square metres, the structure and gardens offer a glimpse of stunning Chinese architecture, progressive arts and cultural activities.
An octagonal blue roof crowns the glistening white memorial hall, designed to symbolise good fortune and abundance in traditional Chinese architectural motifs. Visitors get a dose of ceremonial pageantry on the top floor, with a changing of the guards at regular intervals throughout the day. Keep-fit paths and exercise areas criss-cross the 25-hectare green-city Chinese gardens, bridges and ponds, which also host the Art Creativity Academy series for children.
At the east end of Liberty Square, National Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall puts tourists just steps away from the National Theatre and National Concert Hall, and near the National Taiwan Museum and Presidential Office Building. Taipei Main Station makes it easy to explore the Zhongzheng District, with regular bus and rail services to and between these cultural and architectural wonders, as well as to the lively Gongguan Night Market and several clothing and art bazaars.
Designed by architect Yang Cho-cheng, the National Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall displays traditional Chinese architectural elements similar to the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum in Nanjing, China. A pair of white staircases with 89 steps each represents the 89 years of Chiang’s life, while a pseudo-classical archway sparkles with sapphire-blue tiles adorning its white pillars.