Presidential Office Building — Attraction in Taipei

Presidential Office Building

The Presidential Office Building was built during the Japanese colonial period to house the Office of the Governor-General of Taiwan. An architectural design contest inviting architects to submit construction specifications was held in two stages in 1906 and 1910. Eventually, the work designed by Uheiji Nagano was partly adopted, but Matsunosuke Moriyama produced the final design by taking Uheiji Nagano’s work and modifying it. In Moriyama's design, the central tower was heightened and the locations for the two side entrances were altered. Construction began on the building in 1912. The entire building was completed in 1919. During the Second World War, the building suffered heavy bombing from the Allied Powers. The central guard tower at the main entrance and part of the exterior walls were severely damaged. Fires raging in the building destroyed its roof and exterior. After the war, extensive work was undertaken to repair the damage and the building temporarily served as the administration hall for the Taiwan Provincial Government. In 1950, the building became the Office of the President. The building was built in a late-Renaissance style, influenced by the English architect Norman Shaw and referred to as "the Tatsuno specifications”. With its decorative red-and-white horizontal bands, the building featured classical elements such as porticos, pediments and gables, vaulted windows, oeil-de-boeuf windows, brackets, and colonnades. The ground plan of the building introduced a double courtyard layout in reference to the Chinese character "日." In fact, the layout was chosen for its strong earthquake resistance. The east, south, and west sides of the building have balconies to accommodate climatic characteristics in the subtropical zone, while the northern side does not since it receives much less sunlight. This large and magnificent building representing the evolution of Taiwan's modern history has borne witness to Taiwan's political and economic development and has become an important landmark in...

We went here for the free guided tour offered on weekday mornings. The line for the tour is at the back of the building, at the intersection of Bo’ai and Baoqing Roads. We stood in line for about half an hour and then went through an airport-style security check. The security personnel were courteous and helpful.

You can carry your bags with you or use the lockers provided. The usual rules apply - photos without flash, be mindful of off-limits areas. There are English-speaking guides for those who do not speak Chinese.

The exhibits are all housed at the ground floor. They offer a glimpse of the life of the young nation’s presidents and showcase the country’s achievements, aspirations, and democratic ideals. There is a small exhibition full of beautiful photos of the island and its people.

After the tour, you can go to the gift shop for souvenirs and postcards, which you can send by mail at the in-house post office. We stayed for 1.5 hours.

If you want more Taiwanese politics, visit the nearby Presidential and Vice Presidential Artifacts Museum at the intersection of Changsha and Bo’ai Roads. The museum provides an in-depth look at the role and political life of the country’s top two leaders and the history of...

A very interesting place to visit in Taipei. You can learn a bit about Taiwan's history or just enjoy the building and what's on display. You can take fun photos and even a VR video with the president and download it to your phone/computer - a very nice little feature. While it's regularly open on weekdays in the morning, best will be if you manage to come on a Saturday (it's usually open for one Saturday per month). During weekdays there will be some guided tours in Mandarin and there are audio guides available for free which allow you your own pace but with limited rental time. On these days only rooms on the first floor are open to the public. During Saturdays, you can take a guided tour in Mandarin or English and even see some more exclusive areas of the first and second floor. Make sure to bring your passport, otherwise you'll be denied entry. Nothing else needed, entrance is free and doesn't require registration unless you're...