Taipei

Taipei (台北) is the capital and largest city of Taiwan, situated in the low-lying Taipei Basin (台北盆地) ringed by mountains and encircled by New Taipei. Originally inhabited by the Ketagalan Indigenous people, the basin was settled by Fujianese colonists from 1709, eventually becoming the provincial administrative center in 1887. Imperial Japan renamed the city Taihoku and established much of its urban layout and basic infrastructure. Following the KMT retreat in 1949, Taipei became the provisional capital of the Republic of China, and has since developed into a modern, thriving metropolis.

The core of the old city can be found in Wanhua, encompassing historic Bangka and trendy Ximending; Datong, with its famed Dihua Street and Dadaocheng temples; Zhongzheng, site of the former walled city and countless Japanese colonial landmarks; and Zhongshan, a bustling commercial district home to the iconic Grand Hotel. Songshan and Xinyi developed throughout the post-war era from peripheral status to the gleaming heart of a new financial district anchored by Taipei 101. Shilin stretches from the famous night market to Yangmingshan’s volcanic slopes, housing the National Palace Museum and numerous Cold War-era elite residences, while Beitou is renowned for its historic hot springs. The suburban areas of Neihu, Wenshan, and Nangang round out the cosmopolitan cityscape.