Travel expert
Read about the city
Kaohsiung is known as Taiwan's maritime capital, and the sea is also highly visible in the city, which houses Taiwan's largest port. You can discover the harbor and thereby a great part of the city history onboard one of the interesting harbor cruise boats.
Kaohsiung is also home to several popular sights as quiet lakes and beautiful temples, where locals and tourists enjoy the lovely surroundings on lovely strolls. There are also cultural, historical and gastronomic experiences waiting Kaohsiung. You can see the architectural contrast from some of the island's tallest buildings to city temples from earlier centuries.
There nature is varied and very beautiful in many places which are easy reachable from Kaohsiung. The coastal landscapes in the south part of the island are stunning in Kenting National Park. You can also go north to the city of Tainan, it was for centuries the capital of the island with the history and sights that follow that status. You can even make a day trip to the present capital, Taipei, on a day with high speed train.
Other attractions
- Holy Rosary Cathedral/Tianzhujiao Meiguitang/天主教 玫瑰 堂: Holy Rosary Cathedral was built in 1929 as Kaohsiung's first Christian church. Inside you can see a statue of St. Mary from 1863 and other things in the fine interior.
- Cheng Ching Lake/Cheng Tsing Hu/澄清湖: Cheng ching means crystal clear, and the beautiful lake is also a part of Kaohsiung's drinking water supply. The lake is the area's largest.
- Sanfeng Temple/Sanfengkung/三峰 觀: The Sanfeng Temple was built in 1672 in a typical northern style, and it is among the most beautiful in the city. In 1964, the temple was demolished due to an expropriation, and it was rebuilt in its current location in 1972.
- Chichin Lighthouse/Tsijin Dengta/旗津 燈塔: The Chichin Lighthouse on Chihou Mountain was built in 1883. The 11 meter/36 feet high lighthouse was rebuilt in 1918.
History overview
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Kaohsiung's history began in 1405 when migrants came here from mainland China. However, there was no real urban development in the first centuries, when the area's activity was primarily driven by the Western colonial powers, not least the Dutch.
When Zheng Chenggong expelled the Dutch and made Taiwan completely Chinese in 1661, an administration was established with Kaohsiung as its capital. In 1664, the city changed its name to Wan Nien Chow. The city grew rapidly with many new Chinese as new citizens, and its name was changed once again, to Takao. The next centuries were marked by various forms of governance and relative stagnation in growth.
In 1895, Taiwan became Japanese and this led to a new period of growth in which not least the city's natural harbor was developed. In 1925, Kaohsiung's status was changed to an actual city, and the city's industry grew.
After the 1945 transition to Chinese rule, Kaohsiung quickly became Taiwan's second largest city. The focal point was the well-located natural harbor, now Taiwan's and one of Asia's largest. A very large proportion of Taiwan's many export products are shipped from here. The positive economic situation led to the construction of many skyscrapers and large parks, museums and other culture. Today, more than 1.5 million people live in the bustling metropolis.
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