Hengchun Old Street Introduction
Hengchun Old Street, formed by the intersection of Zhongshan Road and Fude Road, has a history of over a hundred years since the establishment of Hengchun. Most of the buildings and shops within the Old Street have existed for more than half a century. With its long history and numerous old shops, simply taking a quick glance may lead to a regret of leaving empty-handed. From the moment you step onto the Old Street, be sure to explore each old shop carefully and don't forget to look up and admire the old buildings. Although many ground-floor shops have been renovated to create a modern commercial atmosphere, making it somewhat difficult to sense the nostalgia at first glance, if you shift your gaze to the second floor and above, the architectural scenery changes. Features like classical window lattices, traditional stone tiles, old Min Nan-style buildings, and Baroque-style architecture create a stunning blend of Eastern and Western architectural styles. The charm of old shops lies in their long-standing history and distinctive flavors. For instance, a century-old traditional medicine shop houses a 300-year-old herbal cabinet, designed with antique coins as clasps, which is extremely rare today. Under the test of time, the surface of the cabinet has turned a shiny black, a flavor that cannot be replicated; a department store from the 1960s has items packed closely together rather than clearly displayed like in modern department stores, making shopping feel like a treasure hunt, offering a difficult-to-find yet unique experience. The old-world charm is the secret to the longevity of these shops. The primary goal of strolling through is food. If you tire of Japanese, Italian, or American cuisine, you must try the traditional local snacks here, such as savory rice cakes, red quail eggs, mung bean soup, thick noodles, and duck meat vermicelli. Once you taste them, you'll be in for a delight. Whether hot, cold, sweet, or salty, they're easily found without much searching. Listing all the delicious snacks on Hengchun Old Street is not simple; only by visiting can one truly appreciate that this place is a paradise for traditional food. To establish Hengchun Ancient City as a town with a richer cultural character, efforts have been made starting from Hengchun Old Street to integrate historical streetscape resources, enhancing pedestrian pavements, lighting facilities, and guiding installations on important thoroughfares while planting greenery to provide a friendly space for visitors to roam comfortably.
