Nangang Martyrs' Shrine (officially Taipei City Martyr's Shrine (臺北市忠烈祠), aka Nangang Veteran's Cemetery Martyrs' Shrine) is a little-known and forgotten building at the Taipei Military Cemetery (臺北市軍人公墓) in Nangang District of Taipei. Nearby is a steep hill that offers places to hike and enjoy the scenery. It is a secret paradise within Taipei City.
This shrine should not be confused with the National Revolutionary Martyrs' Shrine (國民革命忠烈祠) in Zhongshan District of Taipei near the Yuanshan Hotel. Background: The Taipei City Martyrs' Shrine was established in 1969 under President Chiang Jing-kuo, the son of Chiang Kai-shek. Besides the bodies of soldiers killed in action here, there is also the grave of Lin Qingjuan (林靖娟) who was also considered a martyr and honored here for losing her life trying to save preschool children from a terrible incident in which a preschool bus caught on fire. You can listen to that story on Formosa Files here. In addition, 7 doctors and nurses who died in Heping Hospital during the SARS epidemic in 2003 are also honored as martyrs here. The Taipei City Martyrs' Shrine is one of the few martyrs' shrines in Taiwan not be built over a former Shinto Shrine. Hours: 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM Price: Free 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 Car/Scooter: The Martyrs' Shrine is right next to China University of Science and Technology and there is plenty of free parking near the building and on the mountain. 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. 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 Bus/MRT: Shrine is right next to Solders' Public Cemetery stop with service from bus S1 and many other busses with stops nearby China University of Science and Technology. You can purchase a discount easy card to use on the MRT from Klook here or KKday here. You can also book an MRT travel pass on Klook here. By Bicycle: Cycling is the best way to enjoy Taiwan's landscapes if you have the time and energy. 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: Please see below: Our Journey: It hurts me to share such as secret and beautiful spot in Taipei, but I think more people should know about it. Even though hardly any people come here (maybe they are afraid of ghosts) this place is just gorgeous and the views are incredible. It was basically the only park that was not closed during COVID, so I would often take my kids here to ride bikes.
For an overview of the area, see our drone video above.
You can also check out the 360 degree aerial panorama above.
The main shrine is built like many other Martyrs' Shrines in Taiwan in traditional Chinese imperial style. The cool part about this place though is the many pavilions, gardens, and hiking spots nearby.
This pavilion set up on a hill has one of the best views.
View of the Martyrs' Shrine from street level.
Near the entrance you can see the Yijiangshan Memorial (一江山紀念碑) which commemorates the Battle of the Yijiangshan Islands, which was a major loss for the ROC during the 1st Taiwan Strait Crisis in 1955. Over 500 ROC soldiers will killed in battle.
As of 2024 there was some construction going on which I assume is flood control.
About halfway up the mountain to the main mortuary.
The main mortuary where families come to pay their last respects. There are parking spaces and the area is wheelchair friendly.
You can also walk up further up the hill and get some great panoramic views of Nangang.
Full panoramic view.
View looking up at the veterans memorial pilon.
View looking down at the Martyrs' Shrine from the top of the mountain.
Taipei Veterans'' Cemetery Memorial.
Some historical background of the cemetery.
Behind the memorial is a little hiking trail you can check out.
If you go past this fence, there are some great views.
You can make it to Maocaopushan (茅草埔山) or Shixingshan (獅形山) which is 140 meters high.
Here you can see some of the best views of Nangang ever.
You can also see the Taipei 101.
There are rows and rows of unused graves here and the space is enormous. It's a great place to relax, meditate, and enjoy nature.
There are many other activities available in Taipei such as Indoor Skiing, Rock Climbing, Hiking, Wakeboarding, Surfing, Speedboat Surfing, SUP / Paddle Boarding, Diving, Snorkeling Kayaking, Canoeing, Water Biking, River Tracing / Canyoneering, ATVing, Horse Riding, Cooking Class, Archery, Ice Skating, Roller Skating, Tree Climbing, Urban Camping, Glamping, Motorcycling, Motorbike Tour, Dragon Boat Racing, Escape Room, Shen'ao Rail Bike, Laser Gun Experience, Batting Cages, Bowling, Paintball, Flight Simulation Experience, Taipei Tram Driving Experience, Rail Simulation Experience, Taipei 101 Observation Deck activity, Strawberry Picking, Professional Photo Shoot, Body Relaxation SPA, Night Tour, Calligraphy Workshop and more on Klook here or KKday here. You can get a 20% discount on the Taiwan High Speed Rail to Nangang on Klook here or KKday 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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