剝皮寮歷史街區 Bopiliao Historical Block is a historic neighborhood located in the Wanhua District of Taipei, Taiwan. It is known for its well-preserved buildings and streets, which date back to the late Qing Dynasty and early Japanese colonial period. The area is home to a number of important cultural and historical sites, including the Bopiliao Old Street, Lungshan Temple and the Taipei Tianhou Temple.
Bopiliao Historical Block is a popular destination for tourists and is considered an important part of Taipei’s cultural heritage. Since 2009, Bopiliao Historic Block has played an important role in promoting the arts—as a venue for various art exhibitions, educational events and the like.
How to get to Bopiliao Historical Block
Take the MRT (blue line) and alight at Longshan Temple Station (BL10). From Exit 3, turn right, then right again onto Kangding Road. Walk straight down till you cross the intersection of Guangzhou Street and Kangding Road. The entrance to the Bopiliao Old Street is on the right side of Kangding Road at Lane 173.
Closed on Mondays
Bopiliao Old Street (剝皮寮老街)
The Bopiliao Old Street is one of the oldest streets in Taipei. It is a pedestrian-only street that is lined with traditional shop houses and old buildings, many of which have been converted into museums, galleries, and restaurants.
Walking down this street will transport you back in time.
Movie poster in the olden days
What makes Bopiliao Old Street stands out in the neighbourhood is the unique architecture—red brick arches and walls.
Heritage and Culture Education Center
If you want to learn more about the history of the Bopiliao area, just check out the Heritage and Culture Education Center.
And of course, you can’t leave this old street without taking a few shots. It’s so Instagram-worthy!
From Bopiliao Old Street, we continued with our walking tour towards the Ximending area.
The Red House
The Red House (also known as the Taipei Red House Theater) is a historical building located in the Ximending neighborhood of Taipei, Taiwan. It was built in 1908 and served as Taipei’s first public market. The building was later converted into a theater and became a popular entertainment venue.
Sat 11.00am to 10.00pm
Sun 11.00am to 9.30pm
How to get to The Red House
Take the MRT (blue line) and alight at Ximen Station (BL11). From Exit 1, take a one minute walk to The Red House.
Today, the Red House is a cultural and creative hub, featuring a variety of art galleries, performance spaces, and shops. It is a popular tourist destination and is known for its distinctive red brick architecture and historic significance.
Spotted this cat in a shop inside the Red House!
Final thoughts
It was fun exploring Taipei on foot and getting to know more about its colourful history. Wanhua District has so many things to see and do. Particularly loved strolling through the Bopiliao Historical Block as we could get a glimpse of old Taipei and imagine how the days were like back in the past. 🙂
Got inspiration from this Taipei Free Walking Tour that I came across on the Bopiliao Historical Block’s website, which covers places like Lungshan Temple, Bopiliao Historic Block, Ximen Red House, Presidential Office, 228 Peace Memorial Park and Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall. Instead of joining the tour, we did it ourselves at our own pace.
If you’re visiting Taipei, definitely have to include these places in your itinerary!
I will share more about the other places in later posts. 😉