Gangziliao Fort

Gangziliao Fort

Gangziliao Fort

As a third-grade historic site, Gangziliao Fort is situated in the Gangziliao mountain area to the northeast of Keelung City. Together with other forts like Ershawan, Shiqiuling, and Baimiwan, it forms a strategic defensive formation protecting Keelung Harbor. The fort has witnessed historical events such as the Sino-French War and the 1895 Japanese invasion of Taiwan, making it an over-100-year-old battleground.

Gangziliao Fort spans a vast area and is divided into three zones. The first zone is relatively small, featuring the remains of three structures and two bunkers. Only the crumbling brick walls of the buildings remain — likely general barracks — while the bunkers are constructed from stacked stone, topped with arched concrete, which has helped preserve them intact.

The second zone is enclosed by a fan-shaped stone wall, with building foundations on either side. Hidden beneath a hill at the rear is a large bunker serving as the command post. The bunker is entirely built from stone, with walls and a roof each about 1.5 meters thick, making it the most solid structure in the fort area outside the gun emplacements. Opposite the bunker are two connected tunnels; the other end offers a wide-open view, with the scenery of Bataozi fully visible. However, the tunnels are dark and slippery, and their exit leads to a steep cliff edge — entering is not advised.

Behind the bunker, stone steps and a path lead up to the summit of Gangziliao Mountain. From there, the entire view encompasses Bataozi Fishing Port, Wangyou Valley, Peace Island, Keelung Islet, and Bitou Cape. Following the ridgeline, smaller gun emplacements partially hidden by overgrown vegetation come into sight. The four gun positions lined up in a row all offer excellent vantage points — it’s easy to see why they were built here.

Descending via the stairs between the smaller gun emplacements, you’ll reach the grand third zone. This area features a canyon-like passageway similar in function to that of Dawulun Fort, connecting six massive gun emplacements. These are arranged in three pairs built into recesses in the mountainside, surrounded by stone walls up to 10 feet high — forming a stronghold unmatched in strength by other old forts in Keelung. Each circular gun emplacement is around 5 meters in diameter. Though the original large cannons are no longer present, they were likely comparable to the Armstrong guns at Haimen Tianxian.

Getting There: Take Keelung City Bus No. 104 or 205 from in front of Keelung Railway Station and get off at Erxin Middle School Stop. Walk uphill along Lide Road, turn left at the sign for Charity Temple after about 1.2 km, then continue straight for about 1 km to reach the fort.