The Ming and Qing Dynasties also had “national flags” — 9 national flags flying at Tamsui Fort San Domingo

▲Nine different national flags flutter simultaneously at Fort San Domingo in Tamsui. (Photo / From the Tamsui Travel Guide, Tourism, and Cultural Events Blog)

Tourism Center / Comprehensive Report

The only one in Taiwan! Fort San Domingo, a national historic site, is the country’s only tourist attraction where nine different national flags fly together. These nine flags symbolize the 300 years during which the fort was governed by nine different nations, with each flag telling its own unique story of the fort’s extraordinary history.

▲The flag on the far right and the one next to it are rare representations of the Qing Dynasty and the Kingdom of Tungning. (Photo / From the Tamsui Travel Guide, Tourism, and Cultural Events Blog)

Originally, there were seven different national flags at the entrance of the Fort San Domingo complex. Recently, two new flags have been added: those of the Kingdom of Tungning and the Qing Dynasty. The Tamsui Historic Site Museum explained that to better harmonize these nine flags with the main fortress of Fort San Domingo and to enhance their storytelling value, all nine flags have been relocated to the terrace in front of the main fortress for public viewing.

The nine flags represent the nations that governed Fort San Domingo over the past 300 years, including Spain, the Netherlands, the Kingdom of Tungning, the Qing Dynasty, the United Kingdom, Japan, Australia, the United States, and the Republic of China. The nine flags flying at Fort San Domingo are, in fact, a microcosm of Taiwan’s history and a testament to the island’s multicultural identity over the past three centuries.

%牡??烀?侵鞅で?（图／取材新北市政府网站)

The historic site museum noted that despite changes in ruling powers over the years, Fort San Domingo still stands proudly atop the Tamsui highlands, welcoming visitors — a true testament to the value of preserving historic landmarks. Fort San Domingo and its surrounding historical architectural complex have also been selected by Taiwan’s Ministry of Culture as one of the nation’s potential World Heritage sites. Since opening to the public in 2005 (the 94th year of the Republic of China calendar), the site has welcomed over 6 million visitors.