Deyue Tower Introduction
The National Parks Administration of the Ministry of the Interior is currently conducting renovation works on the De Yue Lou and Huang Hui-Huang Western-style Mansion at Shui Tou and the Shan Hou Xi Qing Pavilion. As a result, these venues are temporarily closed and are expected to reopen at the end of September 2025. De Yue Lou was built in 1931, commissioned by Huang Hui-Huang, a wealthy businessman from the Shui Tou settlement, and designed by craftsmen from Fujian. It is the tallest building in the Shui Tou settlement, its name meaning "the building by the water first receives the moonlight." At the time of its construction, crime was rampant in Kinmen, with frequent incidents of pirates landing and looting, putting the coastal Shui Tou settlement at risk. Therefore, De Yue Lou was equipped with numerous defensive features: the walls on the third and fourth floors have gun ports for aiming, the parapets on the roof were designed for defense, and there are escape passages leading to the adjacent Fan Zi Lou in emergencies. Combining functionality with aesthetics, De Yue Lou has been recognized as one of Taiwan's historical architectural landmarks. There are currently free guided tours available, allowing visitors to explore the historical grandeur of De Yue Lou. Guided tours are held six times daily: 09:00, 10:00, 11:00, 14:00, 15:00, and 16:00.
