Tamsui Red Castle Introduction
The "Tamsui Red House" is named for its colonial-style red brick architecture. It was built in 1895 and completed in 1899, undergoing several renovations, including a transformation from the Red House to the Yellow House. However, after renovations by the current owner in 2000, it returned to its red exterior and was converted into the Red House Restaurant. Although it is not officially designated as a historical site by the government, its construction and renovation history symbolize the prosperity of Tamsui during its golden age and witness the development of Tamsui over the past century. The Tamsui Red House features brick archways on three sides and is a beautiful building. At the time, the only comparable scale was the Consulate Residence of Fort San Domingo. One former owner was the famous Taiwanese literati Hong Yi-nan, who named it "Daguan Lou" because from here, one can overlook Tamsui, from Guandu Pass in the east to Fort San Domingo and Tamsui Harbor in the west, offering a broad view that gives a sense of perspective. Many historical photos of ports and street scenes during the Japanese occupation were taken from this building. The Red House is situated on a hillside in the old street, giving a sense of a paradise away from the world. On the way from the old street to the Red House, there is a narrow pathway with stairs that is only wide enough for two people to walk side by side, said to have a total of 106 steps. On your journey to explore the Red House, you might as well verify this for yourself.
