Ximen Red House Introduction
Ximen Red House was built in 1908 by Japanese architect Juro Kondo. It consists of an octagonal building and a cruciform building, and is Taiwan's first official public market. It is also the oldest and most well-preserved Grade III historic site in Taiwan. The octagonal building features a "bagua-shaped" entrance symbolizing gathering from all directions, while the cruciform building has a "cross-shaped" main structure. Together with the neighboring North and South Squares, they are collectively known as the "Ximen Red House." Over the years, Ximen Red House has transformed roles from a market to a bookshop, cinema, and theater. Since 2007, the Taipei City Government's Cultural Affairs Bureau has commissioned the Taipei Cultural Foundation to manage its operations, promoting it as a cultural and creative platform aimed at revitalizing the development of the Ximending area. After more than a decade of operation, it has gradually accumulated cultural and creative energy, becoming a landmark for cultural and creative activities in Taipei and even Taiwan. The first floor of the octagonal building serves as an exhibition and dining space, featuring the "Red House Tea House" for tea tasting and relaxation, and "Red House Select" for Taiwanese-style merchandise. The second floor is the quaint and professional performance venue "Second Floor Theater." The cruciform building houses the "Riverside留言Ximen Red House Performance Hall" to promote the development of small cultural and creative enterprises, along with the exhibition and sales space "16 Workshop." Additionally, the North and South Squares host diverse cultural experience activities, which include guided tours of fixed venues, creative talks, and handmade workshops, as well as creative markets and irregular exhibitions in the central exhibition area every weekend.
