Dutch wall
And banyan roots.
CEphoto, Uwe Aranas — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Rybloo — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Unknown — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Johan Jönsson (Julle) — CC BY-SA 4.0
Taiwan's oldest fort, built by the Dutch East India Company from 1624 as Fort Zeelandia on a sandbar at the harbour mouth. It was the seat of Dutch rule over the island until the commander Koxinga took it in 1662 after a long siege, opening a new era in Taiwan's history. Only part of the original red-brick outer wall survives, gripped by the roots of old banyan trees, along with foundations showing its former size. On the hill stand a white watchtower with a red roof and a Japanese-era building, reached by stairs between trees clipped like umbrellas. The tower looks over old Anping's roofs, canals and the sea, and the building holds a small museum on the Dutch and Koxinga with models of the fort as it was. Around it, Anping Old Street offers sweets and seafood. The ticket is TWD 70, and the fort opens from 8.30 am to 5.30 pm. Southern Taiwan is hot and humid most of the year, so carry water and a hat; winter is the mildest season for sightseeing.
And banyan roots.
Anping views.
The fort's story.
Anping District, western Tainan
The Dutch East India Company from 1624, as Fort Zeelandia; Koxinga took it in 1662.
