Fort San Domingo (Tamsui Historical Museum) Introduction
Standing for over 300 years in Tamsui, Fort San Domingo is characterized by its striking red exterior. The area features buildings from the Spanish, Qing, and Japanese colonial periods, making it one of Taiwan's oldest existing structures. The fort was initially built in 1628 by the Spanish, who governed northern Taiwan, and was named "Castillo de Santo Domingo." However, after the fort was destroyed, the Dutch rebuilt it near the original site in 1644, renaming it "Fort Antonia." The Han people referred to the Dutch as "red-haired," which led them to call the fort "Hongmao Cheng" (Fort San Domingo). In 1724, Wang Jian, the local official in Tamsui, began renovating the fort and added four outer gates. After 1867, the British government began leasing Fort San Domingo for use as a consulate and built the consular residence next to it. Having undergone governance by Spanish, Dutch, Ming Zheng, Qing Dynasty, British, American, and Australian authorities, it stands as a living testament to Taiwan's history. The fortification area of Fort San Domingo, which opened to the public at the end of 1984, includes the castle-like main fort, the Western-style consulate residence, and the South Gate from the Qing period. Its architecture serves various functions, including military defense, consular offices, and a dungeon. Walking along the arched corridor to the plaza in front of Fort San Domingo offers a view of the Tamsui River and Guanyin Mountain, with one of the "Eight Scenic Views of Tamsui," the "Sunset at Shuitai," located here, making the beautiful glow of sunset not to be missed.
