Eternal Golden Castle

Eternal Golden Castle was formerly known as 'Anping Grand Fort' or 'Erkunshen Fort'. In 1874, Shen Pao-chen first arrived in Anping and believed a grand fort should be built to protect the capital city. Consequently, in 1876, Taiwan's first Western-style fort, designed and completed by French engineers, was finally finished. It was also Taiwan's first fort equipped with British Armstrong cannons, marking a significant step towards the modernization of Taiwan's coastal defense. In terms of architectural style, Eternal Golden Castle is a square fort built in the Western bastioned style, featuring protruding corners and a concave center. A moat surrounds the fort, with large and small cannons placed on its walls, and the castle's center serving as a drill ground. With its complete design, grand scale, and powerful cannons, Eternal Golden Castle can be considered an epoch-making and important milestone among Taiwan's forts, north and south. The fort was later damaged and once lay in ruins, but was subsequently preserved as one of the capital city's renowned scenic spots. After World War II, it underwent extensive renovation, and its form and materials have largely changed. However, even after renovation, its original scale can still largely be discerned. The outer wall is approximately 2 meters high, with a moat surrounding the ramparts and dense woods. The round arched city gate, built with red bricks, stands 5 meters high. Passing through the arch, one sees lush green lawns, flat and spacious, along with a commemorative bronze statue of Shen Pao-chen and replica ancient cannons.