Kaohsiung Customs Magong Branch Introduction
The elegant Baroque style and pristine white exterior of this building are remnants of the Japanese colonial era. In 1905, the Japanese government constructed the Magong Customs Office at the current site, under the jurisdiction of the Kaohsiung Customs. The building features a rounded arched porch, with square multi-story structures at the corners for overlooking Magong Harbor. The arched windows and European-style sloped roofs exemplify the architectural style favored by the Japanese at the time for imitation of European styles. The main structural material is reinforced concrete, relying on load-bearing walls. The roof is sloped and uses black tiles made of cement; the facade of the porch is open and designed with arching shapes, serving as windows for external business transactions. The exterior features arched windows and decorative techniques using keystones; around the building, there are slanted columns to reinforce its structure, adorned with spiral column capitals. The front of the building was originally made of pebble materials, but after the restoration, the exterior wall was changed to cement paint. This building can be considered one of the first official residences to adopt Western-style architecture during the Japanese occupation. Today, the Magong Customs Substation illuminates the building at night, allowing passersby to appreciate an elegant and clean piece of historical architecture during evening strolls. 【Recommended stay time】 10 minutes.
