The Path of Seeing City Introduction
Zuoying was the administrative center of Kaohsiung in the early Qing Dynasty and is the first earthen castle in Taiwan. It was destroyed during the Lin Shuangwen Incident, leading to the establishment of a new city in present-day Fengshan, resulting in Zuoying being referred to as the old city. In 1826, Zuoying was rebuilt as a stone castle, making it the most well-preserved castle in today's Kaohsiung, with the North Gate, East Gate, South Gate, and hundreds of meters of city walls still intact. The Jiancheng Project excavated and revealed the remnants of Zuoying Castle, establishing pathways that connect historical sites. The Jiancheng Path starts at the Jiancheng Pavilion, built in the form of an aerial walkway along the old stone castle, linking the existing trails of the Great and Small Guishan, effectively reconnecting the two that were divided by Shengli Road, ultimately reaching the North Gate, with a total length of 770 meters. The Guishan Observation Deck is located next to the southern shore of Lianchi Lake, allowing views of famous attractions such as the Dragon and Tiger Pagodas, Spring and Autumn Pavilions, Yuan Dynasty Temple, and Banping Mountain. The design of the Jiancheng Path aims to integrate with the existing landscape, simulating the original city walls in color, volume, and height, reconstructing the historical space. Below the aerial walkway, red lanterns are hung, and as night falls, walking through the illuminated Jiancheng Path allows one to feel the historical depth of Kaohsiung.
