Fort Zeelandia

Originally known as Fort Zeelandia, the 300-year-old Anping Old Fort is the very first fortress in Taiwan. In 1624, the Dutch colonizers built up this stronghold as the anchor point of early settlements in Tainan.

During the 38-year Dutch rule over the western part of the island, Fort Zeelandia served as an important outpost for Dutch trade with its colonial outposts in China, Japan and Southeast Asia. In 1661, the Dutch were defeated and expelled by the patriotic hero Zheng Cheng-gong (鄭成功), better known by his Hokkien honorific Koxinga (延平郡王), and Fort Zeelandia therefore became his residence as defence against the Qing. Until 1683, Taiwan surrendered to the Qing forces. The strategic military base was shifted to Fort Provintia (赤崁樓), and the defensive value of Fort Zeelandia accordingly diminished.

Fort Zeelandia may look derelict, but its remains of bygone days continue to whisper the history of prosperity and decline. For example, the 70-meter long stretches of the outer walls of the original Fort Zeelandia built from brick blocks mixed with glutinous rice, sugar and oyster shells can still be appreciated today. Remember, despite all the tempting good eats around the area, a visit to Anping is never complete without spending some time exploring the historic Anping Old Fort.