Bai Sha Jia Lighthouse

　　Bai Sha Jia Lighthouse is situated at Bai Sha Jia in Guanyin Township, Taoyuan County, and is the westernmost lighthouse on the island of Taiwan. Its design began in 1896 (Meiji 29) during the Japanese colonial period, construction started in 1898, and it was completed in 1901. In 2002, it was designated as a Taoyuan County Historic Site. Aside from being an important maritime navigation facility, it also served military sentry and meteorological observation functions in the early years.

　　Most lighthouses built in Taiwan during the late Qing Dynasty were imported fully assembled from countries such as Britain and France. Manufacturers would prefabricate the lighthouse components and then ship them to designated locations for assembly. However, Bai Sha Jia Lighthouse was constructed using what is called “brick-and-stone masonry” in Japanese—a double-layered brick and stone structure designed to be earthquake-resistant. The tower was built with red bricks, and the upper section of the tower was constructed with large stone blocks forming a support frame that holds up the lantern room. The light apparatus originally used a third-order French rotating lens with a triple wick kerosene lamp. During World War II, the lighthouse was strafed by Allied aircraft, causing serious damage to the structure. In 1956, it was retrofitted with a third-order rotating electric lens light.

　　For over 100 years, the snow-white Bai Sha Jia Lighthouse has withstood numerous earthquakes, tsunamis, and even large-scale wars, yet it still stands firmly along the coast of Guanyin Township, illuminating the Taiwan Strait. It is truly one of the scenic highlights of Taoyuan’s coastline.

　　Lighthouse at Bai-sa-jia Must-visit reason: The westernmost lighthouse on the island of Taiwan