Hsinchu Station (Hsinchu Railway Station) Introduction
In 1886, Liu Ming-chuan sought approval from the Qing Dynasty in 1887 to construct the Taiwan Railway based on the needs of coastal defense, development, and transportation. The railway from Keelung to Hsinchu was completed in 1893, with a ticket office (station) established at the foot of Pillow Mountain. In the early Meiji period, the Japanese railway team, noting the winding paths of the railway built during the Qing Dynasty, began revising the existing routes. The new station, called Hsinchu Stop, was a simple Japanese-style wooden station. A new railway line opened in 1908, with the new station (Hsinchu Station) completed in 1913, which is what we see today as Hsinchu Railway Station. Located on Zhonghua Road in Hsinchu City, Hsinchu Railway Station is the only train station in Taiwan without a sign. Its architectural style combines Western features with a steeply pitched gable roof and dormer windows. The structural stress points, such as the columns, wall corners, and openings, are strengthened with stone to give the entire building a complex yet dignified appearance, serious yet approachable architectural flavor. The designer's ingenuity has made the railway station a gateway to Hsinchu and a city landmark. Hsinchu Railway Station is also the oldest major railway station in Taiwan. Situated in a prime location, it is not only a transportation hub but also the most prosperous area of Hsinchu City, designated as a national historic site in 1998.
