Lighthouse museum spotlights Taiwan’s maritime history

2017/03/06

Taiwan’s first lighthouse museum opened March 1 in the northern port city of Keelung, offering visitors the opportunity to learn more about one of the most important aspects of the island’s maritime history dating back 200 years.
 
Operated by the Maritime and Port Bureau under the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, the facility features an initial display of 60-plus lamps and optical systems, with more equipment and items of interest expected to be added by June.

At the museum’s inauguration ceremony, MPB Director-General Hsieh Wei-chun said he expects the facility to help boost public awareness and appreciation for the contribution of lighthouses and their keepers in ensuring the safety of ships sailing near the coastlines of Taiwan proper and its outlying islands.

According to Hsieh, the bureau is also working with Keelung City Government on joint marketing campaigns promoting nearby historical relics and local maritime heritage such as the 11-meter-high Keelung Lighthouse, which was built in 1900 during the Japanese colonial era (1895-1945).

Taiwan is a paradise of sorts for lighthouse lovers, with its 36 operational beacons possessing distinct architectural styles and fascinating histories. The first on Taiwan proper was built using funds raised by local residents in 1796 during the Qing dynasty (1644-1911) at Danshui Port, New Taipei City. It was replaced by one erected by the Chinese Maritime Customs Service in 1888.

Eluanbi Lighthouse in southern Taiwan’s Pingtung County is one of the country’s most popular beacons, attracting a steady stream of tourists from home and abroad each year. (Courtesy of MOTC)

Other facilities of interest include Eluanbi Lighthouse in Pingtung County on the southernmost tip of Taiwan. Constructed in 1881 at the urging of Charles William Le Gendre, then U.S. consul to the Qing dynasty, the 21-meter-high lighthouse was intended to minimize the chance of further shipwrecks such as the Rover 14 years earlier. After striking a reef, the American merchantman drifted into the Kenting area where survivors were killed by indigenous people in retaliation for earlier attacks by foreigners on local tribes.

Less bloody but equally fascinating is Mudouyu Lighthouse in Penghu County. Built in 1899 out of cast iron to withstand the strong winds of the outlying archipelago, the 40-meter-high lighthouse is Taiwan’s tallest and sports black and white bands to enhance visibility during the day for passing vessels. The surrounding waters are notoriously treacherous, claiming at least 50 ships before the facility was completed.

Although lighthouses are not as essential as they once were due to the advent of GPS, their popularity as tourist attractions ensure they will long remain landmarks on the nation’s coastlines. According to the bureau, Taiwan’s lighthouses welcome 1.2 million visitors annually and plans are in the pipeline to open more of them to the public.

Source: Taiwan Today (http://taiwantoday.tw/news.php?unit=18&post=112091)