Tainan Travel

Built from 1898 through to 1906, this site was formerly the residence of the Mayor of Tainan (台南廳長) during the Japanese Colonial Period. Later, it became a dormitory used by the head of the Department of the Interior. After World War II, it became the official residence of key government officials, and plain clothes police officers and guards used to stand watching over the place. Following this, it was turned into a dormitory for teaching and administrative staff at Tainan First Senior High School (台南一中), but insufficient care was paid to the site and it began to fall into a state of disrepair until September 2017 when the renovation and restoration was completed and the site began to be used again. It is now used as a place for the Mayor of Tainan to welcome foreign guests. The outer appearance of the building is of a Meiji Japanese style known as “Japanese-Western Building Pair” (和洋二館). The northern building was built in a western style, and upon renovation the state of the building has been much improved. The interior has once again been made to look elegant and refined. From the internal decoration and wallpaper to the furniture, the decorations and fittings are rich in classical style. The southern building is built of a more Japanese style, and has been worn down by years of neglect, currently only the foundations of the building and the floor remain. On the 14th September 2017, visitors were invited to come and take a look around the newly refurbished site.