- Type
- Fortress
- Origins
- 1874 · 19th century per Wikidata: founding, first mention or construction
- Commissioned by
- Pao-chen Shen
- Coordinates
- 22.9886°, 120.1603°
History
In 1874 Japan sent troops to southern Taiwan to punish local people for killing shipwrecked sailors from the Ryukyu Islands. In response Shen Baozhen, the Qing imperial commissioner, ordered the island's defences strengthened, and that same year work began at Anping on a modern fort designed by a French engineer. Completed in 1876, the Erkunshen fort was armed with British Armstrong guns, and bricks from the ruins of the Dutch Fort Zeelandia were reportedly used in its construction. After Japan took Taiwan in 1895 the fort lost its role, and its guns were eventually removed and melted down. It was listed as a first-class historic site in 1983.
What to see
The square fort with corner bastions is enclosed by earth ramparts and a moat, crossed by a bridge to a red-brick gate bearing the inscription "Yizai Jincheng". Replicas of Armstrong guns stand on the broad lawn inside the walls, and you can climb the ramparts for a view of Anping harbour. A statue of Shen Baozhen stands in front of the gate.
Wikipedia article Official website Wikidata Q697518
Popularity: articles about this site in 11 Wikimedia projects (Wikipedia language editions and others).