Eternal Golden Castle

Welcome to Tainan, the oldest city in Taiwan, and specifically to the historic Anping District. I am your guide, and today we will be delving into the martial history of the island at the Eternal Golden Castle. …

As we stand before the entrance gate, look down into the wide, tranquil waters of the moat that completely surrounds the square fortress. A moat is a standard defensive feature, designed to slow down advancing infantry and…

Passing through the arched entranceway, we emerge into the vast, open expanse of the inner courtyard. This is the drill square. …

We now ascend the ramparts to examine the primary reason this fortress was constructed: the heavy artillery. Mounted on these bastions are massive cannons pointing ominously out toward the Taiwan Strait. …

Step down from the exposed ramparts and enter one of the recessed, arched brick corridors built directly into the thick earthen walls. These are the ammunition depots and the soldiers' bunkers. …

Walking along the top of the perimeter ramparts, we are granted a commanding view of the surrounding landscape. However, the landscape you see today is drastically different from what the Qing soldiers saw in the 1870s. …

Let us step outside the fortress walls and explore the immediate surroundings. The area immediately outside the moat has been transformed into a lush, tranquil forest park. …

As we conclude our tour of the Eternal Golden Castle, take one last look at the imposing red brick entranceway reflecting in the still waters of the moat. We have traversed layers of engineering, from the Dutch bricks beneath the…