Taku Forts
大沽口炮台
Ming- and Qing-era coastal defense fortresses at the mouth of the Hai River. They saw fierce fighting in the two Opium Wars and the Boxer Rebellion, and today they are a heritage museum site.
The Dagukou Forts stand on the south bank of the Hai River’s estuary. Defenses were first built during the Ming dynasty, and during the Qing dynasty they were expanded into a cluster of forts with names such as Wei, Zhen, Hai, Men, and Gao. Between 1858 and 1900, they repeatedly fought against British-French and Eight-Nation Alliance forces, and they stand as a testament to modern coastal defense history. Today, the remains of the Wei and Hai forts survive, and a heritage museum displays the forts’ history and original artillery pieces. Admission is free, but reservations are required. The site is about 60 kilometers from downtown Tianjin and about 15 kilometers from the National Maritime Museum.
Opening hours
09:00–16:30 (closed Mondays)
Nearby sights
- Tianjin Binhai Library
- Beitang Ancient Town
- National Maritime Museum of China
- Fantawild Adventure Tianjin
- Tianjin Binhai Aircraft Carrier Theme Park
- Happy Valley Tianjin
- Tianjin Cultural Center & Grand Theatre
- Tianjin Museum