Taichung City Hall Introduction
Taichung City Hall was constructed during the Japanese colonial period in the 44th year of the Meiji era (1911). The building is designed in Western classical style, famous for its red and white brick wall style, and it is the first reinforced concrete structure in the Taichung area. Initially, it served as the office for the Taichung Public Irrigation Association and the Taichung City Government, and it has also functioned as a municipal archive, news office, and transportation bureau among other office spaces. It is a well-known landmark and historical symbol of the city, designated as a historical building in 2002. The architectural style of the city hall mimics Baroque influence and is categorized as a large modern governmental structure, emphasizing stylistic expression in its openings, with diverse door and window designs and meticulous decorations. The main entrance features a two-story columned porch in the typical Greek Ionic style, with a façade finished in plaster and accented by a keystone and gable adornments. The magnificent dome, constructed of eight wooden trusses, is not only eye-catching but also one of the few wooden domes from the same period in Taiwan, surrounded by circular dormer windows. This building combines brickwork, woodwork, reinforced concrete, and steel constructions, making it a classic example of architectural technology from the Japanese colonial period. In 2004, a survey and refurbishment plan for the Taichung City Hall was completed, and the restoration was finished in 2016. The Cultural Affairs Bureau has continued to operate it through a private firm under the Public-Private Partnership Act (OT), and it is currently managed by "Haoyisi Co., Ltd." The first floor, "Haoyisi Cultural Space," features a themed permanent exhibition, a co-reading exchange space, connections to local industry displays, and cultural and artistic craftsmanship experiences; the second floor's Italian restaurant "Narratore" offers Northern Italian cuisine, run by chef Lance Lin, who previously worked at a Michelin one-star restaurant in Italy. It is hoped that Taichung City Hall will become a hub of cultural energy in West Taichung, bridging the public with historical culture, stimulating the local economy, and becoming a representative historical and cultural building in Taichung. Opening hours: 1F "Haoyisi" Cultural Space: Wednesday to Sunday: 11:00 AM - 9:00 PM; 2F "Narratore" Italian Restaurant: Wednesday to Sunday: 12:00 PM - 2:30 PM, 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM; Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
