Takao fortess, Military fort in Cijin District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Takao Fortress is a historic military fort on Cihou Mountain in Cijin District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. It is made up of fortified barracks, a rectangular defensive courtyard, and an entrance gate designed by the British engineer H. W. Harwood.
The fortress was built in 1720 under the Qing Dynasty to defend the harbor of Kaohsiung from sea approaches. Armstrong guns were added in 1880 to strengthen its coastal defense.
The fort is locally known as Qihou Fort, and its red-tiled roofs and carved inscriptions along the corridors reflect the architectural style brought by the Qing administration. Visitors walking through the gate area can still read some of these inscriptions on the stone surfaces.
The fort sits on Cihou Mountain and is open to visitors every day of the week. Several hiking trails start nearby, making it easy to explore the hill and take in views of the strait.
Bat carvings appear in the corners of the ramparts and staircases, paired with Chinese characters carved into the stone. In Chinese tradition, bats are symbols of good fortune, which makes their presence on a military structure an unexpected detail worth looking for.
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