Chihkan Tower (Fort Provintia)
赤崁樓
The site of Fort Provintia, built by the Dutch in 1653. Under the Qing, a Sea God Temple and Wenchang Pavilion were built on top of it, making Chihkan Tower the first landmark of old Tainan city.
Chihkan Tower is located on Minzu Road in West Central District, Tainan. In 1653 the Dutch East India Company built Fort Provintia here as its administrative centre. In 1662, after Koxinga (Zheng Chenggong) attacked Taiwan, he used it as the seat of Chengtian Prefecture. After the Qing-era fort fell into disuse, a Sea God Temple, the Wenchang Pavilion, Dashi Hall and Penghu Academy were built on its base over time, creating the unique scene of a Chinese-style tower standing on the ruins of a Dutch fort. It is a National Historic Site. Highlights include the remains of the red-brick fort walls and an old well from the Dutch period, nine stone tablets carried on bixi turtles in the courtyard (erected during the Qianlong era after the suppression of the Lin Shuangwen Rebellion), a sculpture of Koxinga receiving the Dutch surrender, historical displays inside the Sea God Temple and Wenchang Pavilion, and the view of the old town from the top of the tower. Admission is NT$70 (local residents and discounted tickets are charged separately). Some buildings have been under repair since 2024, but the site remains open. Suggested route: about one hour. Right outside is the Minzu Road and Guohua Street food area. A five-minute walk takes you to the Sidian Wumiao and the Grand Tianhou Temple, and a ten-minute walk to the Confucius Temple and Lin Department Store, which marks the starting point of the old town walking route. It stays open until 9 p.m. at night, when the pavilions are lit up, and the atmosphere is better than during the day. Getting there: about 15 minutes’ walk from Tainan Railway Station, or take bus 3, 5 or 88 to the Chihkan Tower stop. Notes: the site is not large and has little shade, so avoid the midday heat in summer. Parking nearby is difficult, so walk or rent a YouBike.
Opening hours
08:30–21:00
Nearby sights
- Sacrificial Rites Martial Temple
- Grand Mazu Temple
- Guohua Street
- Hayashi Department Store
- Museum of Taiwan Literature
- Shennong Street
- Tainan Art Museum
- Zhengxing Street