Former British Consulate

The old British Consulate in Kaohsiung City's Gushan District was built in 1865. It is now the oldest Western building preserved in Taiwan, listed as a second-class historic site.

The former consulate was designed by a British engineer and built by Chinese craftsmen. It is graceful and of elegant proportion. Semicircle arches are rhythmically arranged around the building. The circle arches are smaller at the corners, while the wall pillars are bigger and have reinforced function in dynamics.

The former consulate is a Baroque typed building of the Renaissance era. It emphasizes on the stylish regular pattern, and its hollow pattern railings were built with excellent bricks. Harmonious sense of beauty is shown at every turn. Among the existing Western-style buildings in Taiwan, it provides an excellent example of technique and style that possesses the value of historical architectural study and conservation value. More significantly, it is a building that has administrative and residential functions, and its style also lies in between them. It is the portrayal illustration of modern Chinese and Western cultural communication, and also the first formal consulate built by foreigners in Taiwan. Indeed, it opened up the development of Western architecture for Taiwan in the future.

The former consulate occupies an area of 900 square meters. Its site lies on the north bank of Kaohsiung Port, at about 30 meters above sea level. The building is strategically located with exquisite landscape and for the field of view. Occupants can look down at Kaohsiung Port from the building's east side, and look far into the Taiwan Strait from the west side.

The former consulate was the first consulate in Taiwan, followed by the second in southwestern Taiwan's Tainan City and the third in northern Taiwan's Danshui Township. The building has reserved plenty of rare photographs about the history of Taiwan's development. Today, the classic red brick building attracts numerous photographers and newly wedded pairs. Lovers come here to capture the instant of eternity and look out at the boundless seascape. Leaning against the railings of winding corridors under gentle breeze, they quietly watch ships and boats sailing in and out of Kaohsiung Port. The atmosphere of romance is further strengthened by sunset.

Along with the signing of the Treaty of Tientsin in 1858 and the Treaty of Nanking in 1860, the British forced the Ching (Qing) government to open up four ports in Taiwan -- Danshui, Anpin, Keelung and Kaohsiung. Indeed, Great Britain was the first country that established a consulate in Taiwan. The first consul accredited by the British government to provide consular service in Taiwan's commercial ports was Robert Swinhoe. He was born in India and educated in London. As an amateur naturalist, he found that Taiwan had a great variety of animal and plants, many of which are rare and treasured objects of the world.