Chihkan Tower

　　Chihkan Tower is situated in the West Central District of Tainan City, Taiwan. Originally built in 1653 during the Dutch colonial period as the European-style Fort Provintia (commonly referred to as the Red-Haired Tower), it once served as the island’s center of governance. By the Qing Dynasty, it had largely collapsed, leaving only partial ruins. Later, Han Chinese settlers built traditional Chinese temples on the original site. After World War II, nine stone plaques were relocated here from elsewhere. What is now known as Chihkan Tower is actually a composite of the remaining structures of Fort Provintia, along with the Temple of the Sea God and the Wenchang Pavilion. It is currently designated as a first-class historic site.

　　The cultural relics and architecture of Chihkan Tower have witnessed the eras of the Dutch, the Ming Zheng Kingdom, and the Qing Dynasty. Initially constructed around the year 1650, its building materials were reportedly all imported from overseas by the Dutch. Known as Fort Provintia, it was built by the Dutch after the Guo Huaiyi Rebellion, an uprising against their rule. After Koxinga (Zheng Chenggong) captured Taiwan, he renamed Fort Provintia as Dongdu Chengtian Prefecture, and used Chihkan Tower as the highest administrative center on the island. It faced across the Taijiang River to what is now Anping Fort, holding significant historical and cultural value.