Treasure Hill Taipei blog — The guide to Treasure Hill Taipei Artist Village for first-timers

April 14, 2023

Nestled in Taipei’s Gongguan district, there is a cluster of old hill houses so dense that it resembles a real-life version of Howl’s Moving Castle called Treasure Hill. The artist village that was once a community of veterans housing has turned into a diamond in the rough and quickly attracts a lot of locals and tourists alike in the evenings or weekends.

Treasure Hill Taipei artist village | treasure hill taipei

(c) corissajoy.com | treasure hill taipei

So, is Treasure Hill Taipei worth visiting, how to visit Treasure Hill Artist Village Taipei, what to do in Treasure Hill Taipei artist village and how to plan a budget trip to Treasure Hill Taiwan for the first-time perfectly? Let’s check out our Treasure Hill Artist Village travel blog with the fullest Treasure Hill Taipei travel guide with the top things to do in Treasure Hill Artist Village Taipei to help you maximize your trip as follows!

From a distance, Treasure Hill looks like a giant mobile [email protected] | treasure hill taipei

A little history about Treasure Hill Taipei Artist Village

Treasure Hill Taipei Map | treasure hill taipei

This was once an illegal residence village of more than 200 military families in the 1960s and 1970s. Through collaborative efforts between the Taipei City Government and global artists, Treasure Hill has been renovated to be the art community. Artist studios were introduced and opened allowing the public to see a special cultural symbiosis and it has become a popular destination for locals and tourists alike.

The main entrance to Treasure Hill Artist Village, admission is completely free | treasure hill taipei

Since the transformation of this place, the ordinary cement streets have taken on a new coat with interesting paintings and art installations. Granite streets and stone stairs wind through the village, leading visitors to small cafes.

Cute little cafes dotted all over Treasure Hill | treasure hill taipei artist village

The entire village is connected by a winding stone and concrete staircase system | treasure hill taipei artist village

The mossy stairs are reminiscent of the old image of Taiwan in the 60s and 70s | treasure hill taipei artist village

Old houses have been converted into rental rooms and artists-in-residence homes. Exhibitions are also regularly held at the gallery spaces in the village. Many international and local artists have been licensed for long-term residency and art creation activities in many fields from painting, embroidery to filmmaking, choreography,… Art works Installations such as murals or statues can be easily found everywhere if you walk around Treasure Hill.

The mural is a work that is easily seen everywhere when walking around the village | treasure hill taipei artist village

Old houses have been converted into rental rooms and artists-in-residence homes. | treasure hill taipei artist village

With a history spanning several centuries, visitors to Treasure Hill will quickly realize that the stories here go beyond the thin walls. This was originally a settlement of the Chinese who immigrated to Taiwan, then it became a military base of Japan because of its proximity to the Xiandian River. Immediately after the end of World War II, the Japanese withdrew, the Kuomintang government was defeated in China and withdrew to Taiwan, bringing with it 2 million soldiers and their families. Due to the need for housing and the government’s lack of a clear plan, temporary shelters were hastily built across the country to house veterans. Treasure Hill is one such settlement. At its peak, it was home to 200 families, but now only 20 families remain in it after renovations.

Despite the changes to the village and the large number of visitors, many former residents are still living happily here. Some have been moved to better homes located elsewhere on the grounds, but red placards have been erected over their new homes proudly showing brief introductions to the residence. people came before coming to Taiwan. Brief articles include family histories and also their original address of places in the village. To ensure the quality of living conditions in the village, Treasure Hill has also set a time for visitors to avoid disturbing the residents.

The old residents are still living here | treasure hill artist village taipei

Red placards with black background and white words were put up over their new homes… | treasure hill artist village taipei

..as a proud way to show short introductions about where the residents went before coming to Taiwan | treasure hill artist village taipei

The Lee family and the article briefly includes family history and their original address in the village. | treasure hill artist village taipei

The government of Taiwan places an emphasis on recognizing and honoring the past, as well as the lives of its residents. The village’s old post office is still in operation, and many traditional grocery stores have reopened in recent years. This shop is reminiscent of rural Taiwan life and features a variety of food, snacks, and nostalgic toys from the past.

The old post office of the village is still in operation | treasure hill taiwan

Many traditional grocery stores have reopened in recent years. | treasure hill taiwan

From Treasure Hill, you can see New Taipei City’s intersecting highways in the distance, and the hustle and bustle of Gongguan night market nearby, yet feels like a world away. It’s the perfect spot to stop by one of the many casual cafes dotted throughout the village and relax for a bit before heading back to the busy city. So the next time you visit Taipei, make sure to put some time in your itinerary and stop by Treasure Hill – you won’t regret it!

Even though it’s in the heart of prosperous Taipei, it feels like it’s far away from the world. | treasure hill taiwan

Treasure Hill can serve as a starting point for further attractions or as a spot to unwind during a busy day. A short walk across the overhanging Fuhe Bridge brings you to Yonghe District, one of the most densely populated places in the world. This area will have all the things you need such as eateries, supermarkets, bookstores, fashion stores and even second-hand book stores hidden in the alleys near the National University.

Less than 10 minutes walk back to Gongguan Station, you’re back in bustling Taipei | treasure hill taiwan

On the way from Treasure Hill back to Gongguan Station, you can stop by the campus of National Taiwan University, the most prestigious school in Taiwan. The school has continuously achieved “great” achievements in teaching and training throughout its operation. National Taiwan University is a gathering place of outstanding intellectuals and is the pride of Taiwan’s education industry. Looking at the bright faces of students, walking on the wide streets filled with green trees, you seem to relive the nostalgic school days.

National Taiwan University campus – the most prestigious school in Taiwan | treasure hill taiwan

How to get to Treasure Hill Taipei?

Address: No. 2, Alley 14, Alley 230, Section 3, Tingzhou Road, Zhongzheng District, Taipei City.
Opening Hours: 11AM–10PM (Closed on Mondays)
Ticket price: Free
By MRT: To get to Treasure Hill, take the green line, stop at Gongguan station and take Exit 1. Walk 10-15 minutes and you will reach the village from the station.
By bus: You can also go by bus and go to Gongguan stop (this is the stop to National Taiwan University).

Some tips

Treasure Hill is a must-visit for art lovers and those looking to escape the usual tourist itinerary.
Wear comfortable shoes and be ready to climb, the neighborhood has lots of stairs and steep walkways.
Don’t forget to bring sunscreen and drink plenty of water, as it can get hot here during the summer months.

Things to note before traveling to Taiwan

Currency

Check out the beautiful ancient village of Jiufen @aiko_738

Taiwan’s Dollar is different from China’s Yuan. You can exchange in advance in Vietnam but the exchange rate will be quite high. In fact, you don’t need to change too much because to Taiwan you can easily pay by card, just use cash to buy train tickets at a small local station or eat on the street. Spending in Taiwan is slightly above the Southeast Asian average but extremely affordable compared to Singapore or Japan.

Internet

Taiwan’s internet coverage is very strong without flickering, most shops and commercial centers have free wifi that doesn’t require you to log in. But to ensure smooth communication, you can rent a wifi transmitter to save money if you go in a large group or buy a 4G sim to communicate comfortably for 450NT for 5 days.

Time to visit Taiwan

Taiwan has 4 distinct seasons, the central and southern cities have much nicer weather than Taipei. Taipei rains erratically, so the easiest season to go is spring, summer and autumn, should avoid July-August because this is the rainy and stormy season. If you want to see the cherry blossoms, you can go in the spring from February to March, and to see the maple leaves in the fall, you can go from November to December.

Language

Taiwanese people do not speak English, especially the small local shops, so be prepared for communication difficulties. You should have some Chinese or Google translate applications available to learn some basic words or sentences such as number of whores, asking price,…

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