Taipei Story House

Taipei Story House

Formerly known as "Yuanshan Villa," Taipei Story House is a two-story Western-style building that blends British Tudor-style framing with late 19th-century neoclassical design. The first floor is made of brick, while the second floor features a log structure. It is located on Zhongshan North Road in Zhongshan District, Taipei City, adjacent to the Taipei Fine Arts Museum. With its distinctive spire, copper tiles, and turrets painted in fresh colors, it resembles a building from a fairy tale, earning it the lovely nickname "Fairy Tale Cream House."

Built in 1913 during the Japanese colonial period, Taipei Story House was originally the villa of renowned tea merchant Chen Chaojun. Both Hu Hanmin and Sun Yat-sen once visited this residence. Over nearly a century of historical upheavals and changing times, the villa has served various roles, including as a prison, a residence, and the American Embassy in Taiwan. Eventually, in 1977, as preparations began for the establishment of the Taipei Fine Arts Museum, the site underwent renovation. In 2003, Hong Kong-based lawyer Audrey Y. S. Chen personally sponsored and adopted the venue, donating NT$7 million annually to establish the "Taipei Story House" within the villa. It has since become a miniature museum dedicated to promoting Taiwanese life culture and the concept of heritage reuse.

Taipei Story House

Must-visit reason: One of the most popular historic buildings among tourists in Taipei City