Takao British Consulate

Takao British Consulate

The Takao British Consulate is located in Gushan District, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan. Established in 1866 (the fifth year of the Tongzhi reign), it was the first official consulate built by a foreign power in Taiwan during the Qing Dynasty. The consulate now houses precious historical materials, photographs, artifacts, and models related to Kaohsiung’s history, which is why it is also known as the Kaohsiung Historical Relics Museum.

The Takao British Consulate is Taiwan’s first fully constructed and sturdy Western-style building. The consulate stands on a small hill with an exceptionally strategic location — to the west, it faces the Taiwan Strait, along the route that cargo ships take to and from Kaohsiung Port; to the east, it overlooks downtown Kaohsiung and the harbor. It has since been transformed into an open-air café, radiating a romantic atmosphere and serving as an ideal spot for locals to relax in the afternoon and evening. Over the past 140 years, the old British Consulate has endured the ravages of war and typhoons, at one point reduced to ruins. In 1987, it was fully restored and designated as a second-class historic site.