Chikan Tower — Attraction in Tainan

*The Michelin Guide Three-star Attraction *Class I Historic Site

Situated on Mintzu (Minzu) Road, Chihkan (Chikan) Tower has easy access to public transportation and adjacent to various accommodation establishments.

In 1624, subsequently after arriving at Tayouan (Teijouan, present day Anping), Dutchmen purchased Saccam using 15 units of floral print fabric (1 unit is approximately 13 meters in length). Anping was marked as one of the first international trading posts on Formosa in the early phases of globalisation in the 17th century.

BuiIt in 1652-3 by the Dutch, Fort Providentia/Provintia in Taiwanfoo (Taiwanfu) was known as the Red-Haired Tower and erected for the purpose of strengthening Dutch rule in Formosa as a response to the revolt led by Huai-i Kuo (Hua-yi Guo). Chihkan (Chikan) Tower was also called Fort Providentia/Provintia, Fort of Hungmao (Hongmao, Red-Haired) and Fort of Westerner.

The Dutch built Fort Zelandia and Providentia in the capital Taiwanfoo (Pickering 1898: p. 41).

The city of Taiwanfoo is girt by a high battlemented wall some 6 miles in extent and quadrangular; it is, in fact, a small and poor imitation of the wall of Peking. Within are the houses of the chief citizen, mandarins, and several temples dedicated to the three religions of the empire, comprising Confucians, Buddhists, and Taouists (Swinhoe 1864: p. 7).

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Fort Provintia or Providentia was a Dutch outpost on Formosa at a site now located in the West Central District of Tainan in Taiwan. It was built in 1653 during the Dutch colonization of Taiwan. The Dutch, intending to strengthen their standing, sited the fort at Sakam, about 2 miles (3.2 km) due east from modern-day Anping. During the Siege of Fort Zeelandia (1662), the fort was surrendered to Koxinga, but was later destroyed by an earthquake in the 19th century. It was rebuilt as Chihkan Tower (Chinese: 赤崁樓 )

The fort's name derives from the Taiwanese aboriginal village recorded by the Dutch as Sakam, which has developed into the modern-day Tainan. After growth in size and trade, the Chinese called it Chhiah-kham, and surrounded it with high brick walls. It eventually became the capital of the whole island under the name of Taiwan-fu.

In addition to the site's architectural and artistic significance, its library of dictionaries and business transactions documents the Siraya language spoken by the native inhabitants of the region...

Currently under renovation and slightly underwhelming I visited Chikan Tower during my recent stay in Tainan and unfortunately the timing wasn’t ideal. The main structure is currently under renovation and mostly covered in scaffolding which takes away quite a bit from the experience. What’s accessible right now feels limited and not really worth the ticket price unless you are particularly interested in ticking off landmarks. There is a pleasant little pond with red fish and a landscaped rock fountain that adds a nice touch to the grounds but it’s not enough to make up for the missing centerpiece. If you’re short on time or traveling on a budget I’d say hold off on visiting Chikan Tower until the renovation is complete. Tainan has plenty of beautiful temples and historical sites to explore that offer a more fulfilling experience right now. Check for updates before you go – it could be worth it once the restoration work is done but at the moment it’s...