I always believed that I had been to Red Hair City until this time when I accompanied Lara’s foreign friends who came to Taiwan to live in Tamsui. It brought me and my children to Hong Mao City.
To my surprise, I realized that I had never been here before. Yesterday afternoon, the heavy and light rain added a touch of romance to our short trip to Tamsui.
By 4 o’clock, we arrived at Hong Mao City and managed to join the last guided tour (having a guided tour is truly important when visiting historical sites). Most Taiwanese people are aware of the origin of the name Hong Mao City. The hair color of the Dutch back then was more orange, which is why Taiwanese people referred to them as
“Red Hair,” hence the name “Red Hair City.”
FORT SAN DOMINGO
The nine national flags represent the nine former masters
Red Hair City has changed hands multiple times throughout its history.
However, before the “Red Hair” built the fort, the site was initially established by the Spaniards as “Santo Domingo City.” However, the Dutch drove them away not long after. The original fort was ruined, prompting the Dutch to rebuild it themselves.
Later on, after Zheng Chenggong of the Ming Dynasty “recovered” Taiwan, this place came under the ownership of both the Ming Dynasty and the Qing Dynasty. This ownership continued until the Opium War when the Qing Dynasty ceded several coastal cities, attracting the arrival of the British.
The British leased the fort as a consulate and constructed an official residence adjacent to it, featuring a small yet beautiful garden. The handmade red bricks visible within the fort were added during the British period. The original battery on the first floor was transformed into a ventilation balcony for a small prison, while the second floor’s secretary room was specially equipped with an incinerator for burning important confidential documents and a vault for storing excess gold and silver.
British mansion
Later on, the Japanese came to rule Taiwan and took control of Red Hair City. After the end of World War II, Japan was defeated, and the city returned to the hands of the British. However, the reasons for this transfer are not clear. At that time, the British granted it as a subsidiary to Australia. Subsequently, Australia passed ownership to the United States. It was over 30 years ago that the city finally returned to Taiwanese control.
The official residence is a Victorian building, and its interior remains intact, offering a glimpse into the prosperity of the past.
Standard English dining chair specification, only the owner’s chair has armrests
The kitchen door is located next to the restaurant, and there is a small hole in the middle that serves as the entrance for food delivery (similar to the concept of dish elevators found in some restaurants).
『A moat was constructed around the fortified city to prevent attacks by indigenous people during that time.
Even 60 years ago, the current gate of Hongmao City faced the Tamsui River. However, the original city gate at that time was the small gate located next to the current gate, known as the South Gate. This gate was positioned closest to the river mouth, serving as the entry point for boats. Over time, the South Gate was left behind as the city expanded and changed.
