Hsinchu Station Introduction
In 1886, the Governor of Taiwan, Liu Ming-chuan, requested permission from the Qing Dynasty to build the Taiwan Railway for the purposes of coastal defense, development, and transportation. The Keelung-Hsinchu Railway was completed in 1893, and the Hsinchu ticket office (station) was established at the foot of Pillow Mountain. In the early Meiji period, the Japanese Railway Corps, recognizing the winding and serpentine nature of the railways built during the Qing Dynasty, began to modify the old routes. The newly constructed station was named Hsinchu Station, a simple Japanese-style wooden station. In 1908, a new railway line was opened, and the new station (Hsinchu Station) was completed in 1913, which is the Hsinchu Railway Station we see today. Hsinchu Railway Station is located on Zhonghua Road in Hsinchu City and is the only train station in Taiwan without a sign. The architectural style blends Western elements, with a steeply sloped folded roof and gabled windows, while structural stress points such as columns, wall corners, and openings are reinforced with solid stone, giving the overall building a complex yet dignified appearance, serious yet approachable architectural style. The designer’s ingenuity has made the railway station a gateway to Hsinchu and a landmark of the city. Hsinchu Railway Station is also the oldest existing major railway station in Taiwan. Due to its prime location, it serves not only as a transportation hub but also as the most prosperous area in Hsinchu City, and it was designated a national historic site in 1998.
