Former British Consulate at Takao

Britain opened a consulate at Takao, as Kaohsiung was then called, after the port was opened to foreign trade, and the residence built on the bluff in 1879 is the oldest surviving Western building in Taiwan. It is a colonial bungalow of red brick with arcaded verandas on all sides, with the office building down at the harbour edge and a stone stair of a hundred and some steps linking the two. The terrace looks straight down the harbour mouth.

What you actually see

• The 1879 residence - red brick with arcaded verandas, the oldest Western building in Taiwan.
• The connecting stair - a stone staircase down the bluff to the harbour-level office.
• The harbour view - the mouth of Kaohsiung harbour directly below.
• The restored interiors - period rooms with displays on the consular period.

When to go

Year round; the site keeps daily hours and closes on some weekdays. Sunset from the terrace is the best hour. Summer afternoons are hot on the bluff.

Honest expectations

The building was heavily restored after long neglect and much is reconstruction. The stair between the two buildings is a long climb. It gets crowded at sunset.

Nearby

Sizihwan beach is below, and Cijin Island is across the harbour mouth.