Any Taipei local will tell you that Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall (中正紀念公園) is one of the most iconic national monuments in the city. It’s the perfect blend of traditional Chinese architecture, history and culture.
Built as a memorial for the former late President of Taiwan (ROC), the CKS Memorial Hall is located in Liberty Square with two other national monuments. On the other sides of the square sits the National Theater and National Concert Hall. Both of which, are equally as impressive.
If you’re in Taipei to learn more about the history, then Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall is the place to be. Let’s dive into this iconic landmark and see why it’s worth the short trip.
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Chiang Kai-shek Memorial History
The stunning memorial hall was built for President Chiang Kai-shek, who passed away on April 5th, 1975. Shortly after his passing, the country’s Executive branch was tasked with establishing the Funeral Committee to build a memorial.
The design for the building was outsourced as a competition. Eventually, famed architect Yang Cho-cheng (he also built the Grand Hotel) was chosen for his design, which beautifully articulated elements of traditional Chinese architecture.
After a few years of planning and development, the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall was finally opened on April 5th, 1980 (the five year anniversary of his death).
It was placed in Zhongzheng District – an area much closer to the “city center” back in the day. The whole visiting area of the memorial was built alongside Liberty Square and covers 240,000 square meters of land.
CKS’s Liberty Square
As previously mentioned, Liberty Square is the area in which the memorial hall was built on. The moment the square, along with the memorial, was opened to the public, it became the perfect gathering spot for locals.
If you take a stroll through Liberty Square, you’ll without doubt find plenty of tourists. But it’s not a place just for tourists. At all hours of the day, you may find many dance teams practicing, friends gathering or activists spreading a message.
Liberty Square has also become a popular place for locals to form protest. For example, there are many instances of Taiwanese citizens standing up for democracy in China in this area.
The most memorable protests and rallies held in Liberty Square were in the 1990s, during the Wild Lily Student movement in Taipei. It was a six day demonstration that fought for democracy in the city.
As you can see, Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall and Liberty Square means much more to the people of Taiwan than just a building honoring the late President. For this reason alone, it’s worth visiting this iconic “tourist attraction.”
Getting to Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall
The memorial resides in Zhongzheng District. And although it’s not in the city center (Xinyi/Daan), it’s fairly close to it and very easy to get to. In fact, there’s a MRT station that takes you directly there.
To get to Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, you’ll want to take the MRT Green Line. You’ll want to ride the MRT to the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall MRT Station. It’s sometimes referred to as just C.K.S. Memorial Hall MRT Station.
You’ll want to take Exit 5 from the MRT Station. After exiting, you’ll be right around the corner from the attraction.
Alternatively, you can take the MRT Red Line to the same MRT station. However, you’ll need to walk a little further within the MRT terminal to get to the memorial hall.
Why Visit Chiang Kai-shek Memorial?
Aside from the history that the building represents and the spectacular architecture, why should you visit Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall? There’s more to this attraction than you know.
Changing of the Guards
If you’re at Chiang Kai-shek Memorial at the right time, you’ll get to witness the changing of guards. These guards are amazing. I tried my best to catch them move, but not a single twitch. I don’t even think I saw them blink once.
At the top of the monument and inside the memorial, you’ll see two live guards standing still in front of the large bronze statue of Chiang Kai-shek. The changing of guards mini ceremony happens daily from 9 AM to 5 PM.
To catch this event, make sure you’re present at the beginning of the hour during the time of service. This “show” is great for the whole family and it’s one you don’t want to miss.
The Garden
There’s more to the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall than just a building with statue. One of the most beautiful parts of this attraction is the garden beside it.
The grass is always green and the landscaping is just as remarkable as the memorial hall. This area is so nice that you’ll occasionally see couples getting married here. Plus, wedding photos are taken here all the time.
In this garden there’s a lovely little pond with all types of birds that inhabit the area. Around the pond are many trees you can use for shade, in case you plan to go on a hot summer day.
This place isn’t just opened during the day, but you can also visit during night time. It’s a completely different feel after the sun goes down because the garden lights up.
PRO TIP: If you come between March and April, you’ll likely get to see Taiwan’s cherry blossom season. And of course, they’ll have cherry blossoms at CKS Memorial Hall’s garden.
Chiang Kai-shek Statue
Inside the building is a giant bronze statue of Chiang Kai-shek himself sitting on a large chair. You can see it from afar, even before entering the memorial hall. This is the “main attraction,” but probably not the best attraction.
It’s a little reminiscent of the Abraham Lincoln statue in Washington DC’s Lincoln Memorial. Though, the Lincoln statue is made with white marble instead.
The statue sits between two Taiwan flags and two guards underneath. Don’t mess with these guards. It’s great to snap a picture or two, but unless you’re here for the changing of guards, there’s no reason to linger for long.
Library & Museum
Beneath the statue on the lower level sits a library and museum. This part of the memorial is definitely worth checking out, and it’s opened from 9 AM to 6 PM each day.
However, there may be some random maintenance days where it’s closed. Also, expect this part of the memorial to be closed on certain big holidays, such as Chinese New Years and CNY eve.
The museum is beautiful and best of all, it’s free to enter. It’s very informational with a great overview of Taiwan’s rich history – it’s perfect to history nerds.
You get to see an interesting chronology of CKS’s life journey and learn about China’s struggles at the time, which led him to eventually retreat to Taiwan.
On display are many of his personal belongings (such as artwork) that you would probably never get to see elsewhere. What’s cool is that they even have Chiang Kai-shek’s car collection on display.
If anything, I’d recommend checking out the museum more so than the actual statue itself. In my opinion, this is the best part of the memorial hall.
Nearby CKS Memorial Hall
If you take your time, you can spend between 3 and 4 hours at Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall…easily. But if you finish with time to spare and you’re looking for more, you’re in luck.
Literally right next to the memorial hall are two of Taipei’s finest national buildings with equally impressive architecture. They’re on the other side of the Liberty Square and will take you minutes to walk there.
National Concert Hall
The National Concert Hall is a spectacular landmark. It likely caught your eye the moment you entered Liberty Square. Though this building came much later in 1987, it was designed by the same architect that did Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall – Yang Cho-cheng.
Plenty of world famous acts performed at this concert hall. Some of which, include Yo Yo Ma, Philip Glass, Barbara Hendricks, Mirella Freni and the list goes on.
And if you’re lucky, you might even be able to catch a show inside the national concert hall. You can check out the upcoming programs from their official site here.
Taiwan’s National Theater
The National Theater is another iconic landmark built in a similar fashion to that of the National Concert Hall. When facing Chiang Kai-shek Memorial, the theater is on the right, while the concert hall is on the left.
This building was developed alongside the concert hall. And as you can imagine, architect Yang Cho-cheng designed this building as well. The traditional elements of ancient Chinese palaces make these buildings stand out. There is nothing else like this in Taipei.
Many renowned performers have exhibited inside the National Theater. These acts include the Cloud Gate Dance, Kirov Ballet, Fei Ma Yu, Ming Hwa Yuan Theater Troupe and many more.
For more information on the upcoming performances and acts, check out the official site here.
Stay Near Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial
Situated in Zhongzheng District, Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall is in a wonderful part of Taipei City. There’s plenty to do around here and it’s close to both the Green and Red MRT Lines.
And because it’s adjacent to Daan District, there are plenty of food and shopping options too. Unlike Daan District, the hotel prices here are more reasonable. Along with budget hotels, you’ll find upscale accommodation and hostels too.
Here are our favorite places to stay near Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall:
Uinn Travel Hostel
Uinn Hostel is one of our favorites and it’s frequently recommended by my friends. First and foremost, the location is great. It’s just a 13 minute walk to Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall. Plus, it’s less than 10 minutes to the CKS MRT Station on the green line!
The staff is super friendly and the service is top notch (for a hostel, at least). Both bedrooms and bathrooms are always clean and the decor is fairly modern and unique.
It’s a great hostel if you’re solo traveling because there’s a lounge/common room area with a ton of great “bar games” for you to check out. You can play darts, foosball, video games and more.
Chaiin Hotel
The Chaiin Hotel in Dongmen area is just a 10 minute walk from the side entrance of Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall. Also, it’ll take you a couple minutes to get to Dongmen MRT station. You may want to check out Daan Forest Park too (less than 10 minutes away).
It’s priced like a budget hotel, but looks like an upscale hotel. The rooms are very spacious and clean. Plus, the bathrooms are some of the nicest I’ve seen in this area – with a small tub and shower too!
They’re known for their friendly staff, and the decor is nice and modern. There’s plenty of restaurants right below the hotel and you’re not far from Yongkang Street (original Din Tai Fung). It’s a busy and lively area.
Citizen Hotel
The Citizen Hotel in Dongmen area is fairly close to Chaiin Hotel. In fact, it’s just a 10 minute walk to Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall and a 4 minute walk to Dongmen MRT Station (Red Line).
You get a nice Taiwanese-style breakfast that’s supposed to be real good. In addition, the staff is great and the rooms are clean. However, some rooms (especially the single bed rooms) can be a little small. But for the price and location, it’s still worth it.
It’s also in a good location. There are plenty of things to do and places to eat right below the hotel. Staying at Citizen Hotel is a great spot if you’re looking to be in the lively areas of Taipei without paying downtown Xinyi District prices.
You don’t need to stay near Chiang Kai-shek Memorial to visit this attraction. Taipei really makes it convenient for you to check out everything and anything in the city.
So if you’re still debating on which area or district to stay in, check out our guide to the best areas to stay in Taipei. We break down the areas by the type of tourist and what they’re looking for. Which tourist are you?
Other Taipei Attractions:
- Elephant Mountain Hike
- Taipei 101 Observatory
- Taipei Muzha Zoo
- Jiufen Old Street
- Dahu Moon Bridge Park
- Beitou Thermal Valley
- Wulai Mountain District