Ershawan Battery, Military fortification in Zhongzheng District, Taiwan
Ershawan Battery is a military installation in Keelung that rises on a hill above the sea, built from brick defensive walls and gun emplacements. The structure spreads across several terraces, with thick red brick walls and stone ramps connecting different levels.
The fortification was established in 1840 under Qing officer Yao Ying in response to growing threats from foreign powers. During the war between China and France in 1884, it changed hands and was later expanded under Liu Ming-chuan.
The site takes its name from its two-level layout, showing how defenders adapted military design to coastal terrain. Today visitors walk through chambers where soldiers once monitored ship movements and prepared artillery.
Access follows a paved path that climbs uphill from street level and includes some steep sections. Sturdy footwear helps when walking the uneven stone paths between different levels.
French troops renamed the captured installation Fort La Galissonnière in 1884 and established a cemetery nearby for 500 fallen soldiers. These traces of foreign occupation make the site a witness to international conflicts in the 19th century.
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