Guandu Temple (關渡宮, aka Lingshan Temple) is a popular temple in Beitou District of Taipei dedicated to the goddess Mazu, dating back to the Qing Dynasty. The temple is said to be the most important Mazu Temple in northern Taiwan. It is definitely worth a visit on your next trip to Taipei.
Historical Background: Guandu Temple was completed in 1712 during the Qing Dynasty, built by early Fujian settlers in Taiwan to the Goddess Mazu. The Goddess Mazu was originally a young lady named Lin Moniang from Meizhou island in Fujian who lived in the 900s AD. She jumped into the sea to save her father and unfortunately drowned. Since then, she has been revered in Fujian and Taiwan as a goddess who protects fishermen especially those at sea. Now there are many Mazu temples around Taiwan and around the world. For more information on the Goddess Mazu, check out this wiki article here. Deities worshipped at the temple besides Mazu include Guanyin Bodhisattva, the Three Generals of the Prince of Yanping, the Wenchang Emporer, Jade Emperor, and others. In the Ancient Buddha Cave, there are statues of Thousand-Armed Guanyin, Arhats, the Four Heavenly Kings, the Eight Divisions of Heavenly Dragons, and more. According to the temple, Zen master Shi Xing brought a statue of Mazu from the Tianhou Temple in Meizhou, Putian County, Xinghua Prefecture, Fujian Province, and built a thatched house to worship her in the hills of Guandu. This temple was known as Gantoumen Tianhou Temple and was built in 1712. It was renovated in 1715 with materials shipped from Xiamen, and was named "Ling Shan Temple 靈山廟." The temple was then relocated to the foot of the mountain in 1719 due to improper orientation, and further renovations were made in 1823 following damage from Typhoons. During the Japanese colonial period, in 1897, a wealthy businessman named Lin Dachun, interested in feng shui purchased the temple land and converted it into his residence. Lin later donated 280 silver dollars and funds to relocate the "Ling Shan Tianfei Temple" to its current site, and renamed it "Guandu Ancestral Temple." The temple was renamed "Guandu Temple" in 1922 and was renovated further. When I visited in 2024, the temple was going under another renovation. Price: Free Hours: 7 AM to 5 PM Tours: You can book a 2-hr Raohe Night Market Walking Private Tour with a Tour Guide, or Taipei at Night: Din Tai Fung Dinner & Raohe Street Night Market Guided Tour on KKday here, or Klook here . Where to stay: High end: We have stayed at and recommend the Nangang Marriott (book on Booking.com here or Agoda here). We have also stayed at and recommend the Yuanshan Grand Hotel, once the tallest building in Taiwan and still the most grand (book on Booking.com here or Agoda here). Looking for a hotel? We recommend booking through Booking.com here, which provides the best quality selection of accommodation in Taiwan. Find out where to stay in our Taiwan hotels guide or search for the best hotel deals in Taiwan here. How to get there: By MRT: Take the MRT red line to Guandu Station. The temple is about a ten minute walk to the west. You can also book an MRT travel pass on Klook here. By Car: If you travel there by car, there is lots of paid parking near the temple. If you are looking for car rentals, you can also search Qeeq here, Klook here, or KKday here. You can also check out our car rental guide here. By Scooter: There is free parking next to the temple. Looking for scooter rental in Taipei? You can search on Klook here or KKday here to search for options. You can also check out our scooter rental guide here. By Bicycle: Cycling is the best way to enjoy Taiwan's landscapes if you have the time and energy, and there are many bike paths nearby. Looking for bicycle rentals in Taiwan? You can use Taiwan's many Youbike sharing stations, or search for rentals on KKday here, and search for tours on Klook here. You can also check out our Taiwan cycling guide here. You can also book a Sunset Riverside Bike Ride and Historical Tour, 4 Hour Cycling in Taipei, Ultimate 8-Hour Cycling City Tour, or Taipei City Bike Tour with Night Market Experience on TripAdvisor here. For more information, check out our Taiwan transportation guide here. Map: You can check out our drone video below for an overview of the area.
You can also check out our 360 degree panorama below.
Our Journey: We have been to Guandu Temple three times. Besides the temple itself, the whole area and nature preserve along the river are gorgeous. It is a great place to take a stroll and enjoy the scenery. 
Nearby the temple is Guandu Wetland Park, which unfortunately we have not visited yet.
Right in front of the temple is this dam which helps to control flood water.
Behind the dam, you will find Guandu Wharf that is an iconic mud fishing harbor for many local fisherman. You will notice that the boats are all sampans to help them float in the shallow water.
Nearby you can also see the pedestrian bridge that crosses over Guandu Wharf here. It is a popular site for cyclists.
View of Guandu Wharf in front of the temple. Unfortunately, the temple was under construction when I visited.
Main entrance to the temple.
There is a small storage area here at the street level.
View looking up at the archway to the temple.
Full frontal view of the temple.
View looking over Guandu Wetlands from the temple.
There is also a shop here at the base of the temple.
Main shrine of the temple.
View into the main hall.
Worshippers in the main hall.
View of the ceiling.
Ghost money for sale.
Another view from the main alter.
Closeup on the goddess Mazu.
This is the place to get incense.
More incense sticks.
Pavilion to the side of the temple.
Here you will enter the Ancient Buddha Cave.
View from behind the main shrine.
View downstairs with more carvings on the wall.
Entrance to Ancient Buddha Cave.
A carved brass ball said to bring good luck.
View further into the Ancient Buddha Cave.
Buddhist figure.
Gold relief on the walls.
View further up to the Thousand-Armed Guanyin (千手觀音). The thousand arm's help in the Guanyin's quest to relive human suffering.
View from behind the Thousand-Armed Guanyin. For more info on this statue, you can check out this blog by Josh Ellis.
View of the Tamsui River from the shrine of the Thousand Armed Guanyin.
Another view of the Tamsui River looking west.
View from the shrine looking north.
View looking back at the thousand armed Guanyin.
Closeup on the Statue. I note that it is a lot more shiny than from Josh's photos.
More golden figures to the side.
Walking back through Ancient Buddha Cave.
Koi pond and dragon outside the cave.
Another hall in Guandu Temple.
Some food stalls inside the temple.
Another stall outside the temple. I think these are some common offering items.
Giant Banyan Tree in front of the temple.
Another view in front of the temple parking lot.
A very narrow alley leading out from the temple.
Closer view down the alley.
If you have time, definitely check out the nearby Guandu Nature Park.
View of the temple via drone.
View of Guandu via drone.
View of Guandu Nature Preserve Via Drone.
Another view looking at the Taipei 101.
View of the Tamsui River.
View looking west over the pedestrian bridge.
View looking north at the bright red Guandu Bridge.
View looking east at Guandu Wharf.
Closer view of Guandu Wharf.
You can see more photos in the gallery above.
You can book a 2-hr Raohe Night Market Walking Private Tour with a Tour Guide, or Taipei at Night: Din Tai Fung Dinner & Raohe Street Night Market Guided Tour on KKday here, or Klook here . Check out our full guide to Nangang here. Also be sure to check out our guide to Taipei here. You can also check out our full travel guide to Taiwan here.
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Author 作家I am an American expat who has extensive experience living, working, and traveling in Taiwan. In my day, I had to learn many things about Taiwan the hard way. But I have come to learn that Taiwan is one of the best places in the world for Foreigners to live. This blog does not represent the opinions of every foreigner in Taiwan. I am just trying to help others learn more about this beautiful country. Categories
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