Qidu Railway Park Introduction
The Qidu Old Railway Station, located on Guangming Road in Keelung, was built during the Japanese colonial period and has a history of over a century. It is one of the few railway stations in Taiwan that has never been demolished or rebuilt. However, in order to promote land use and accommodate local development, the former Qidu Front Station (the old station) was decommissioned in 2007 in conjunction with changes to the Taiwan Railways route. The wooden old station building was then handed over free of charge to the Keelung City Cultural Bureau. After the Cultural Bureau hired a professional design firm to renovate it in accordance with its original appearance, the entire wooden station was dismantled and rebuilt 30 meters away in the Railway Park next to the former Qidu Old Station site. This fully wooden train station thus restored its original glory while preserving old culture and creating a pleasant environment for relaxation. The Qidu Old Railway Station (Front Station) faced the choice of demolition or preservation due to the widening of Guangming Road. However, after local public opinion and the efforts of cultural and historical organizations, along with the strong promotion by the city government, consent was obtained from Taiwan Railways. It was decided to relocate and preserve the station through dismantling and reassembling, aiming to keep this rare wooden train station in Taiwan and enrich the cultural heritage of Taiwan's railway assets. Originally built with cypress wood, the Qidu Old Railway Station is a beautifully designed Japanese wooden train station, notable for its meticulous assembly method, especially the connections between beams and columns, which used notched joints rather than fasteners like other wooden stations. During the dismantlement and reassembly, each building material was numbered and preserved, then reassembled according to the original numbers at the new site; excessively old materials were recreated according to their original types and styles. During the assembly process, many beams and columns were found marked with the words "Governor-General's Office," indicating that the construction of this train station was directly supervised by the Taiwanese Governor-General during the Japanese colonial period, highlighting the Japanese government's emphasis on the Qidu Railway Station at that time. Additionally, the old station's ridge had "insulators" for electric wires, which is quite unique. Besides the station, two banyan trees, both around eighty years old, were also relocated to the Railway Park. The Qidu Old Railway Station retains its wooden structure and has planned platforms and track areas to recreate the imagery of the original Qidu Station, allowing visitors to feel as if they are visiting an old friend, evoking a sense of nostalgia. ※ The opening hours for the Qidu Old Railway Station "Station Building": Monday to Friday 08:00 to 16:00 (closed on weekends). ※ For more information, please visit the National Cultural Heritage website.
Qidu Railway Park - Surrounding Area
Qidu Railway Park - Close-up View of the Site
