Fort San Domingo (Tamsui Historical Museum) Introduction
The Fort San Domingo, standing for over 300 years in Tamsui, is characterized by its eye-catching bright red exterior walls. The area contains buildings from the Spanish era, Qing Dynasty, and Japanese occupation, making it one of Taiwan's oldest existing structures. The fort was originally established in 1628 by the Spanish, who governed northern Taiwan and built the "Fort San Domingo," which was later destroyed. The Dutch rebuilt near the original site in 1644 and named it "Fort Antonius." The local Han Chinese referred to the Dutch as "Red-hairs," which is how the fort got its name. In 1724, Wang Qian, the Tamsui deputy magistrate, began renovating Fort San Domingo, adding four outer gates. After 1867, the fort was leased by the British government for use as a consulate, alongside which a consular residence was constructed. Having experienced governance under the Spanish, Dutch, Ming, Qing, British, American, and Australian authorities, it serves as a living testament to Taiwan's history. The Fort San Domingo historical area, opened to the public at the end of 1984, includes the castle-like main fort, the Western-style consular residence, and the South Gate from the Qing Dynasty; its architecture blends military defense, consular office, and dungeon functions. Walking along the arched corridor to the front plaza of Fort San Domingo offers views of the Tamsui River and Guanyin Mountain, with "Shutai Sunset," one of Tamsui's eight scenic vistas, located here—an alluring display of the setting sun that should not be missed.
