Bopiliao Historic Block Old Street @ Taipei, Taiwan
The first Taipei tourist destination on our itinerary was Bopiliao Historic Block, unsurprisingly, as it is a major attraction of the city, in Wanhua District, one of Taiwan’s oldest districts.
Bopiliao Historic Block, also known as Bopiliao Historical Block or Bopiliao Old Street or Bopiliao Ancient Street, is a stretch of old buildings featuring different architectural styles dating back from the Qing Dynasty (1636 – 1912) to during the Japanese Occupation (1895–1945), and the early post-war era.
Since 2009, this block is conserved by the city government as a historical and cultural district, and is known today also by its address of Lane 173, Kangding Road.
Already rich in these values, Bopiliao was further thrust into the tourism limelight following the filming of Monga, a gangster film set in 1980s Taipei, in 2010. Monga’s lead actor, Ethan Juan (阮经天) won the Golden Horse Awards Best Leading Actor for his role in the movie.
When it was first built in 1799, it was known as “Fupiliao” (福皮寮街) and was one of the busiest and most prosperous commercial sections of Taipei. It’s hard to imagine the bustle when walking through on non-event days. On the other hand, weekends are usually busy when activities are hosted here.
During our visit in mid-January, an annual city-wide school graduation celebration was on-going, so it was teeming with youngsters in high spirits, taking group photos and shooting videos, with their soon-to-be ex-classmates.
Although we went to Bopiliao by private vehicle, I was informed that it’s not difficult to go there as it is just a short walk from the Long San Shi MRT Station. Ah, that’s convenience!
Bopiliao Historic Block
Add: Guangzhou Street, Wanhua District, Taipei City, Taiwan (R.O.C.)
Web: Bopiliao Historic Block
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