A handsome red-brick fortress on the bluff overlooking the mouth of the Tamsui River, Fort San Domingo is one of the oldest European-built structures in Taiwan. The original fort was built here by Spanish colonists in 1629, destroyed, rebuilt by the Dutch in 1644 (locals called it Hongmao Cheng — "Red-Hair Fortress" — after the Dutch), then taken over by the Qing, and finally leased to the British in 1867 as their consulate. The compound today includes the old Dutch fort and the Victorian-era British consul's residence next door, and is free to enter — a pleasant half-day trip from the city on the red-line MRT to Tamsui and then a short walk along the waterfront.
Fort San Domingo
Colonial-era fortress in Tamsui with Spanish, Dutch, and British layers
| Address | 1 Lane 28, Zhongzheng Road, Tamsui District, New Taipei |
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