Life-sized wax figures recreate the 1879 scene; the Takao British Consulate Office revives British elegance

▲Restored after three years, the Takao British Consulate Cultural Park makes its official debut. (Photo provided by Kaohsiung City Government)

Travel Center / Comprehensive Report

After three years of restoration, the Takao British Consulate Park in Kaohsiung has been completed. In addition to reconstructing the consulate building with historically accurate red-tiled architecture, the site also features life-sized wax figures that transport visitors back to the deliberation scenes of the past. The park officially reopened on the morning of November 12. From now on, the public can enjoy both the consulate office at the foot of the hill and the official residence atop the hill in a single visit. Admission fees remain unchanged at NT$30.

▲The commonly known Takao British Consulate is actually the official residence located on the hill. (Photo provided by the Ministry of Culture)

The “red-brick wooden” structure commonly recognized as the Takao British Consulate is the official residence situated on Shaochuantou Hill. “In fact, the real British Consulate was the office building at the foot of the hill,” said the Kaohsiung Cultural Affairs Bureau. The city government spent three years and NT$50 million to restore the consulate office and also renovated the 200-meter-long historic hiking trail connecting the two buildings. The cultural park now nearly replicates the full appearance of the consulate in 1879.

Located by the Shaochuantou waterfront and facing the harbor, the consulate office served not only as the working space for consular officials but also housed a police substation and detention cells in its original layout. During the Japanese colonial period, it was repurposed as the Kaohsiung Prefecture Fisheries Experimental Station for canned food production. After the Nationalist government relocated to Taiwan, it became the Fisheries Experimental Institute. In 2005, the city government designated it as a municipal historic site.

▲The reopened Takao British Consulate specially created life-sized wax figures to recreate scenes from the past. (Photo from the Facebook page of the Takao British Consulate Cultural Park)

The Cultural Affairs Bureau stated that visitors can first head up the hill to the consulate official residence to admire the beautiful seascape of Sizihwan Bay, then walk down via the historic hiking trail to visit the consulate office. The park is currently operated by Classical Rose Garden, where visitors can enjoy afternoon tea amid the historic setting and savor delicious steaks. After the renovation, ticket prices remain the same: NT$30 for adults and NT$25 for concessions.