The Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall is one of Taipei's best-known landmarks: a white, blue-roofed monument at the end of a vast plaza, flanked by two grand traditional-style theatres. It is free to visit, right next to an MRT station, and the open space of Liberty Square is impressive at any time of day. It is also a place tied to difficult history, which makes a visit more interesting than the postcard view suggests.
What the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall is
The hall was built after the death of Chiang Kai-shek, who led the Republic of China government and ruled Taiwan from 1949 until his death in 1975. It opened in 1980. The white walls and blue roof tiles reflect the colours of the party flag, and the octagonal roof and long stairway draw on traditional Chinese monument design.
Inside the upper hall sits a large bronze statue of Chiang. The lower floors hold exhibition spaces about his life and, increasingly, about Taiwan's path from martial law to democracy. Chiang's rule included the decades of political repression known as the White Terror, and how the memorial should present him is an ongoing public debate in Taiwan. Exhibits and ceremonies have been revised in recent years, and further changes are possible.
Getting to Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall by MRT
The nearest station is Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall, served by the Red Line (Tamsui-Xinyi) and the Green Line (Songshan-Xindian). Follow the signs inside the station; the exits on the memorial side bring you out at the edge of the grounds, a few minutes' walk from the main hall.
To approach through the grand main gate on Zhongshan South Road, use NTU Hospital Station on the Red Line or Dongmen Station and walk a little further. Arriving through the gate and walking the full length of Liberty Square gives the best first impression.
Tickets and opening hours
There is no admission fee for the grounds or the main hall. Some temporary exhibitions in the galleries may charge separately. The grounds are open long hours and the hall and galleries keep daytime hours. Check the official website of the National Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall for current times and exhibitions, since schedules for the hall and its ceremonies have changed in recent years.
The guard ceremony
For decades, a changing of the honour guard took place in the statue hall on the hour during opening times, with precise drill and rifle movements that drew crowds. Arrangements for the ceremony have been reviewed and adjusted, so confirm the current schedule and location before planning your visit around it, and arrive a little early to find a good spot if it is on.
Best time to visit
Morning is pleasant, cooler and good for photos with soft light on the white stone. Early evening is also nice, when locals use the square to exercise, practise dance routines or rehearse, and the theatres light up. Summer middays are very hot on the open plaza, so carry water. Allow about one to two hours to walk the square, climb to the main hall and see an exhibition.
Highlights around the memorial
Liberty Square and the main gate
The large arched gate on Zhongshan South Road carries the inscription Liberty Square, a name adopted in 2007 in recognition of the democracy movement. The plaza behind it hosted major student demonstrations in 1990 that helped push Taiwan toward reform.
National Theater and National Concert Hall
These two matching buildings with sweeping yellow-tiled roofs face each other across the square. Check their programmes if you would like to catch a performance.
The main hall stairway
The long climb to the statue hall gives a broad view back across the plaza and the theatres.
The gardens
Ponds with koi, pavilions and shaded paths line the sides of the grounds, good for a quieter break.
Nearby on the same stop
Nanmen Market, a traditional food market known for dried goods, deli dishes and Lunar New Year shopping, is close to the station. A short walk north brings you to the Presidential Office Building and 228 Peace Memorial Park, which has a museum about the 1947 228 Incident. Yongkang Street, famous for its restaurants and beef noodle shops, is one stop away at Dongmen.
Find more ideas around this station on the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall page on Around the Metro, or see every stop on the Taipei MRT map.