Taiwan Presidential Office Building 臺灣總統府

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​The Taiwan Presidential Office building is the office of all presidents of Taiwan, past and present. One of the many historical buildings in Taipei, it is a beautiful Japanese-era brick building, with a built-in museum inside. It is open for tours to the public on weekdays and is definitely worth a visit.
 
History

The building was first constructed during the Japanese rule of Taiwan for the Governor-General of the island. A plan was chosen that included an eleven-storey tower and European-style elements. Like other Japanese buildings in Taiwan, it faced east toward the rising sun.
Construction began in 1912 and it was completed in 1919.  Some of the bricks for the building came from the Songshan Brick Kiln which we have blogged about earlier. It was the highest building in Taipei until it was overtaken by the Hilton in 1973.
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The building was damaged during an air raid in 1945 and was not repaired until the Taiwan Provincial Government under the ROC raised funds. When the ROC retreated to Taiwan in 1950, it became the Office of the President Chiang Kai-Shek. Since then, every sitting president of the ROC has used this building as their office, and it is currently used by President Tsai Yingwen. For more information click here.

Tour Times:

The office is open for visitors from 9:00 AM to 12:00 Noon on weekdays and on some Weekends. For a list of Weekends schedules click here: https://english.president.gov.tw/Page/124
If those times don’t work, alternatively you can reserve a tour yourself here: 
https://service.president.gov.tw/EN/Page/126 
You can book a tour of Taipei on Tripadvisor here, KKday here or Klook here.

Hotels in Taipei:
We have stayed at and recommend the Yuanshan Grand Hotel, once the tallest building in Taiwan and still the most grand (book on Booking.com here, Tripadvisor here, or Agoda here). 
We have stayed at and also recommend Fu Chang Hotel in Ximending, which is within walking distance of Ximending shopping district (book on Booking.com here, Tripadvisor 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/Bus: The building is close to the NTU hospital MRT station. 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. 
By Car/Scooter: There is limited parking nearby.
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.  

Map:

Our Visit:

On an overcast day last February, we made our way to the presidential palace on one of the few days that it was open on Saturday.

Before you go in, there is a security check. Be prepared to show your ID and let them check your bag. My DSLR camera made it in fine.

You will notice from the get-go that there are guards everywhere, so don't try any funny business.

The grand entrance.

A close-up of the upper tower. This was the highest building in Taipei until it was overtaken by the Hilton in 1973.

Prepare to enter the building.

The first room inside is a large room dedicated to Sun Yat-Sen.

Sun Yat-Sen is an interesting historical figure. He wrote the ROC constitution and is considered the father of the PRC, KMT, and DDP. He has a good rep.

His head sits on a pillar that says "Father of All Under Heaven." Kind of like the Emperor of China or something.

View of the ceiling in the same room.

Plaque to Sun-Yatsen.

Some info about Sun Yat-sen: the founding father of the ROC. I assume you can read what is on the sign here.

The main meeting room on the second floor, decorated with ROC and Sun Yatsen as the centerpiece.  

Ceiling of the same room.

Private meeting room for the president. I don't know how often these rooms get used.

In the hallway there are many random art objects which may or may not be ancient.

Also there are rooms everywhere that look like this, locked up. I don't know if half the office building is even being used. Maybe its too old? Notice the fire extinguisher there. There have been quite a few fires in this building over the ages.

Some info about Chiang Wei-shui, Taiwan's Sun-Yatsen.

Power to the People! Much of the museum on the lower floors is covered with DPP propaganda, which makes sense, and it's totally fine. They are in power.

Cute Duncan.

Looks pretty much the same as it did back then. Except somehow along the way they made it in color. 

The presidential stamps (chops), they're huge!

This office desk used by every ROC president! President Tsai stopped using this one only after students from a nearby university gave her a new one.

There is also a Taiwanese aborigine exhibit:

So Taiwan is the real cultural and linguistic center of Polynesia and Southeast Asia? With PRC logic, this should mean Taiwan rightfully owns these places!

A post shared by Foreigners In Taiwan 台灣的外國人 (@foreignersintw) on Mar 2, 2018 at 10:32pm PST

This is the boat that a few Taiwanese people used to sail to Japan, just to prove that Taiwan aborigines could sail all over the Pacific.

A view from one of the inner courtyards.

Here is the Hall of Presidents. 

The other presidents until now, each with famous quotes and video presentations.

Holographic meatloaf? There are also some random exhibits in here. 

Did you really go to the presidential office if you didn't buy their pin?

A post shared by Foreigners In Taiwan 台灣的外國人 (@foreignersintw) on Mar 2, 2018 at 10:35pm PST

Don't forget to buy your pin before you leave! But seriously there is a pretty good gift shop there if you want to buy some souvenirs for your relatives.

On another day, we visited the double ten day celebration here, which is held here annually.

Another video above. 

Light show in front of the building. 

There was also a huge projector screen.

White Terror Memorial

We also visited the White Terror Memorial which is right across the street.

White Terror Memorial plaque.

Down in this pit are more names of victims.

More information about the white terror.

More photos in the gallery above. 

There you have it! You've seen the presidential office! Just kidding, you should still go there yourself. You will see and learn much more in person, especially if you follow one of the tour guides.

You can also look for more activities in Taipei such as Rock Climbing, Surfing, Speedboat Surfing, Diving, Snorkeling, Cooking Class, Glamping, Motorcycling, and more on Klook here, KKday here, or Tripadvisor here.

Check out our Taipei Museum Guide here.

​Check out our family and kids guide to Taipei 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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