Meiting (Currently Closed)

※ Meiting is currently undergoing restoration and adaptive reuse. It has been closed for renovation since May 28, 2024, and is expected to reopen in 2026. "Beitou Meiting" was built around the late 1930s. It is a Japanese-Western style villa that witnessed the wartime era and was constructed to adapt to Beitou's unique local environment. It has stood in Beitou Park for nearly a century. Since the Japanese colonial period, its owners included the Japanese Governor-General's Office, the Minister of the Army, and Taipei Prefecture. After World War II in 1945, it was primarily used as a private residence. In 2006, due to its architectural characteristics, it was designated as a Historic Building of Taipei City. Built along the terrain and adjacent to Beitou Stream, it seamlessly blends the mountain scenery on the building's south side with the stream. The upper level features a Japanese wooden structure, while the lower level is an RC (Reinforced Concrete) basement, which served as an air-raid shelter. This design made it unique and historically valuable among Japanese-style street houses of that era. The outer gate posts bear the "Meiting" plaque inscribed by calligrapher Yu Youren. In the courtyard, there is a protected Taipei camphor tree (No. 1679) under the "Taipei City Tree Protection Autonomy Ordinance". The surrounding walls are built with "Qili'an stone", which is no longer quarried. The interior space is meticulously arranged. Leveraging Beitou's rich geothermal resources, a "hot spring bathroom" was once installed. It also features an "attic" for observation and storage, with functions to regulate indoor temperature, dehumidify, and prevent moisture, while also serving as the ceiling for the lower floor and supporting the main structure of the building. The entrance features "glazed mosaic" tiles and washed stone gate posts, showcasing exquisite craftsmanship. The "octagonal window" design on the walls, a pseudo-Western style decoration that emerged during the Japanese colonial era, is understated and elegant, further highlighting its sense of period and architectural beauty. In 2021, the Taipei City Department of Cultural Affairs commissioned the Taipei City Cultural Foundation for its operation and maintenance. To enhance the adaptive reuse of cultural assets and local promotion, it will continue to highlight Beitou's unique cultural characteristics in the future, creating a vibrant space that combines historical humanities and art culture through art exhibitions and educational activities.