Bopiliao Historic Block

Bopiliao is a single block in old Wanhua that escaped redevelopment because it was reserved for a school extension, and the accident preserved something unusual: the same street shows Qing-period shophouses with brick arcades, Japanese-era facades, and post-war frontages, layer against layer. It was restored and opened in 2009 with exhibition spaces, and it is used constantly as a film location for anything set in old Taipei. A clinic that trained doctors for the whole district operated on the block for decades and its rooms are among those kept.

Highlights

• The layered frontages - Qing, Japanese and post-war buildings in one street.
• The brick arcades - the Qing-period covered walkways along the shophouses.
• The exhibition halls - displays on Wanhua's history in the restored buildings.
• The film location - the street used repeatedly for period productions.

When to go

Year round; the block keeps daily hours and closes on Mondays. Exhibitions change. Weekends are busier.

Before you go

The block is small and takes an hour. It can feel empty and stage-set when no exhibition is running. Labelling is largely in Mandarin.

Nearby

Longshan Temple is a short walk, and Ximending is north.