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The Birth of Historical City

Tainan was Taiwan’s political and military center from 1624 to 1885.  It has been a gateway to Taiwan since the Dutch colonial period, and was flourished through the Zheng’s regime and the Qing dynasty.  From the development of early Han Chinese settlements on this island, Tainan has played a major role in the history of Taiwan.  The history of Tainan began in 1624 when the Dutch erected Fort Zeelandia as the political and military center. Then, Tainan began its fame in 1662 when the Ming loyalist Koxinga(Zheng) expelled the Dutch.  In 1683, the navy of the Qing dynasty led by General Shih Lang landed in Tainan and forced Zheng Ke-shung (grandson to Koxinga), to surrender.  In 1684, the Qing government once again named Tainan as the capital of Taiwan.  The heyday of Tainan terminated in 1885 when Taiwan became an official province of China. Nevertheless, Tainan’s legacy has left it with a large number of cultural properties of different types.  Since the promotion of Tainan City on 25th of Dec. 2010, the previous Tainan city and Tainan county were merged and known as the Great Tainan City.