Fort Santo Domingo (New Taipei City Tamsui Historical Museum) Introduction
The Fort San Domingo, standing for over three hundred years in Tamsui, is characterized by its striking vermilion exterior. The park features buildings from the Spanish era, Qing Dynasty, and Japanese colonial period, making it one of the oldest existing structures in Taiwan. It was first built in 1628 by the Spanish, who ruled northern Taiwan, and named "Fort San Domingo." However, after the destruction of Fort San Domingo, it was rebuilt nearby in 1644 by the Dutch and renamed "Fort Anthonio." The Han people referred to the Dutch as "red-haired," hence the name "Fort San Domingo." In 1724, Wang Hsiang, the Tamsui Deputy Prefect, began renovations of Fort San Domingo, adding four outer gates. After 1867, the fort was rented by the British government to serve as a consulate, with a consular residence built next to it. Having experienced governance by the Spanish, Dutch, Ming Zheng, Qing Dynasty, and British, American, and Australian authorities, it stands as a living testament to Taiwanese history.
