Taichung Park

Covering a vast area of almost 110,000 m2, Taichung Park is the largest and oldest urban park in the city of Taichung, which dates back to the Qing dynasty. The landmark of the city Mid-Lake Pavilion sits quietly in the center of a man-made lake built in 1908 for Japanese Prince Kanin Kotohito, who was invited to lead the inauguration of the fully connected railway system organized in Taichung. The arch bridge facing the Mid-Lake Pavilion used to be a relatively gentle wooden bridge. Due to years of erosion by water, it was reconstructed in stone and the archways of the bridge have been widened and raised in height, so visitors are now allowed to take a boat ride on the pond through these archways. Taichung Park is popular with families because of its extensive entertainment facilities, including the large playground, the outdoor performance stage and the tennis court.

A great number of shady trees become the favorite of squirrels and pigeons, which can be spotted throughout the park. On the cultural side, the Mid-Lake Pavilion is a blend of the Western architectural techniques and the Japanese concept of a traditional tea pavilion. Structurally, it is a Western architecture, but the conical roof is originated from the pavilion where the Japanese chatted over a cup of tea. There are even clerestory windows which look like half-open crocodile eyes. All these unconventional and captivating architectural designs of the Mid-Lake Pavilion have become of great value. Thanks to the early development of the neighborhood, Taichung Park is now surrounded by a wealth of eateries and hotels, with the highly raved attractions Miyahara and Yizhong Street in the vicinity.