Taipei Prison Ruins Introduction
The city-designated historic site "Taipei Prison Wall Ruins" is located on the side wall of the Telecommunications Bureau on Jinshan South Road in the Daan District. It was originally built around the 1910s during the Japanese colonial period, when anti-Japanese guerrilla movements were rampant throughout Taiwan. The Japanese authorities established large prisons in Taipei and Tainan, with Taipei Prison serving as a specific testament to Taiwan's modern penal history. Today, only a few tall walls remain on the north and south sides, but they still evoke a somber and oppressive atmosphere. The layout of Taipei Prison is radial in shape, following the trends of prisons in various countries during the 19th century. It is surrounded by high walls primarily made of stones sourced from the Taipei city walls dismantled in the 1910s, mainly consisting of andesite and coral stone. These materials were originally brought from quarries near Dazhi and Neihu during the Guangxu period of the late Qing Dynasty, transported to the Keelung River and then shipped through the Tamsui River to the riverside dock. Today, it holds significant historical value as a cultural heritage site.
