Get to know Tainan City
Photo adjustments
Full-frame source proportionally resized and converted to WebP for display. No subject alteration. Source-supplied marks and edits remain; cards may crop the view.
- Administrative area
- County / city · 縣市
- Part of
- Taiwan
- Chinese name
- 臺南市
- Local areas
- 37 local areas
Area & population
- Area in the source
- 2,191.65 km²
- Administrative seat
- Anping, Xinying
Source: cited geographic source, as of the dates shown.
As Taiwan's oldest urban area with over 400 years of history, Tainan was initially established by the Dutch East India Company (VOC) as a ruling and trading base called Fort Zeelandia during the Dutch colonial rule on the island. After Koxinga seized the Dutch fort in 1662, Tainan remained as the capital of the Tungning Kingdom ruled by House of Koxinga until 1683 and afterwards the capital of Taiwan Prefecture under the Qing dynasty until 1887, when the new provincial capital was first moved to present-day Taichung, and then to Taipei eventually. Following the cession of Taiwan, Tainan became the second capital of the short-lived Republic of Formosa from June to October in 1895 until the Capitulation of Tainan by the invading forces of Japanese Empire. Under Japanese rule, the city was the seat of Tainan Prefecture. After the surrender of Japan in World War II, the Republic of China took control of Taiwan in 1945 and reorganized the city as a provincial city in Taiwan Province, a role that would remain in place until 2010 when the city was merged with nearby Tainan County into a new special municipality.
Culture
Tainan claims its name as one of the Taiwanese cultural capitals for its abundant historic monument and citizen lifestyle. The city is dotted by Taoist temples, Buddhist temples and churches. Many of them are among the oldest in Taiwan. The city also has its own unique traditions and cuisines developed by Chinese frontiers over its long history.
Folk cultures
The lives of Tainan citizens are closely related to many Chinese Deities and temples. Parents bring their children to the "Weaving Maid Goddess", the children's goddess, to wish for goodwill. Traditionally Chinese people step into adulthood when they are 20. In Tainan, there is a large ritual celebration for all 16-year-olds on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month, the goddess's birthday. This extended celebration is unique to Tainan: In the past, families with children working in the harbour took the advantage of this ceremony to show the employers that their children should be paid in adult rate after this day.
Before any form of examination, people visit the temple of Wenchangdijun, the God of Literature, to pray for blessings of good grades. One of the Wenchang temples is on the top floor of the Fort Provintia. Many final-year high school students preparing for university exams visit the temple in June, before the exam. Those seeking for good marriage will worship Yuelao, the God of Marriage. People also visit temples for many reasons, from simply praying for good luck to celebrating particular Deity's birthday to even communicating with the Netherworld.
Explore Tainan City
Core places to explore, with English and Chinese names.
Chihkan Tower 赤崁樓
Fort Zeelandia (Taiwan) 安平古堡
Tainan 臺南
Tainan Confucian Temple 臺南孔廟
Qigu Salt Mountain and Taiwan Salt Museum 七股盐山与盐业博物馆
Tainan Art Museum 台南美术馆
Shennong Street 神农街
Chihkan Tower 赤嵌楼
Hayashi Department Store 林百货
Jingzaijiao Tile-Paved Salt Fields 井仔脚瓦盘盐田
National Museum of Taiwan History 台湾历史博物馆
Sicao Green Tunnel 四草绿色隧道
Anping Tree House and Tait & Co. Merchant House 安平树屋与德记洋行
Anping Old Street 安平老街
Zuojhen Fossil Park 左镇化石园区
Guanziling Hot Springs 关子岭温泉
Xinying District 新營區
Yanshuei District 鹽水區
Baihe District 白河區
Liouying District 柳營區
Houbi District 後壁區
Dongshan District 東山區
Madou District 麻豆區
Xiaying District 下營區
Lioujia District 六甲區
Guantian District 官田區
Danei District 大內區
Jiali District 佳里區
Syuejia District 學甲區
Sigang District 西港區
Cigu District 七股區
Jiangjun District 將軍區
Beimen District 北門區
Xinhua District 新化區
Shanhua District 善化區
Sinshih District 新市區
Anding District 安定區
Shanshang District 山上區
Yujing District 玉井區
Nansi District 楠西區
Nanhua District 南化區
Zuojhen District 左鎮區
Rende District 仁德區
Gueiren District 歸仁區
Guanmiao District 關廟區
Longci District 龍崎區
Yongkang District 永康區
East District 東區
South District 南區
North District 北區
Annan District 安南區
Anping District 安平區
West Central District 中西區
Places to explore around Tainan City
Chihkan Tower at dusk in Tainan · 台南赤崁楼暮色景观 Source-recorded photograph date: 2009-01-24.Chihkan Tower赤崁樓
Chihkan Tower brings several layers of Tainan history into one compact compound. The site began as the Dutch Fort Provintia, but the halls and pavilions now visible also reflect later Chinese construction. This makes it a place…
Read the place guide →
Observation tower and steps at Fort Zeelandia in Anping · 安平古堡瞭望台与台阶 Source-recorded photograph date: 2015-12-29.Fort Zeelandia (Taiwan)安平古堡
Anping Old Fort occupies the site of the Dutch Fort Zeelandia, a stronghold built during the seventeenth-century maritime trading period. The present visitor complex includes later structures, so its most useful historical…
Read the place guide →
Shennong Street at night in central Tainan · 台南旧城神农街夜景 Source-recorded photograph date: 2015-10-22 22:06:39.Tainan臺南
Tainan’s historic centre is best understood through a sequence of compact sites rather than one monumental attraction. Chihkan Tower combines a former Dutch fort with later halls, while the Confucius Temple preserves the…
Read the place guide →
Decorated roof and painted brackets at Tainan Confucian Temple · 台南孔庙屋檐与彩绘斗栱细节 Source-recorded photograph date: Taken on 17 December 2015.Tainan Confucian Temple臺南孔廟
Tainan Confucius Temple was established in 1665 as a combined place of worship and learning. The side-by-side temple and school arrangement is central to understanding the compound: ritual spaces and teaching spaces serve…
Read the place guide →
Cigu Salt Mountain in Tainan · 台南七股盐山 Source-recorded photograph date: 2008-12-28.Qigu Salt Mountain and Taiwan Salt Museum七股盐山与盐业博物馆
Qigu Salt Mountain is a large salt mound on Tainan's coastal plain, where solar salt production once occupied extensive fields.
Read the place guide →
Art Deco entrance of Tainan Art Museum Building 1 on Nanmen Road · 南门路台南市美术馆一馆装饰艺术风格入口 Source-recorded photograph date: 2018-10-19 16:12:25.Tainan Art Museum台南美术馆
Tainan Art Museum occupies the former police-station complex on Nanmen Road in the city's historic centre.
Read the place guide →Shennong Street at night in Tainan · 台南神农街夜景 Source-recorded photograph date: 2015-10-22 22:06:39.Shennong Street神农街
Shennong Street lies in Tainan's former Five Channels port district, where waterways once brought merchants and goods into the city.
Read the place guide →Chihkan Tower at night in Tainan · 台南赤嵌楼夜景 Source-recorded photograph date: 2009-01-24.Chihkan Tower赤嵌楼
Chihkan Tower is a layered historic site in central Tainan, occupying the location of the Dutch Fort Provintia.
Read the place guide →
Hayashi Department Store in Tainan · 台南林百货 Source-recorded photograph date: 2025-06-30.Hayashi Department Store林百货
Hayashi Department Store opened in Tainan in December 1932, when the surrounding commercial district represented a new urban shopping culture.
Read the place guide →
Jingzaijiao Tile Paved Salt Fields in Beimen, Tainan · 台南北门井仔脚瓦盘盐田 Source-recorded photograph date: Taken on 17 December 2015.Jingzaijiao Tile-Paved Salt Fields井仔脚瓦盘盐田
Jingzaijiao preserves a historic salt-field landscape beside Beimen's coastal settlements in Tainan.
Read the place guide →
Lakeside library at the National Museum of Taiwan History · 国立台湾历史博物馆湖畔图书馆 Source-recorded photograph date: 2023-06-23 10:38:46.National Museum of Taiwan History台湾历史博物馆
The National Museum of Taiwan History stands in Annan District, Tainan, in a landscape once connected with the Taijiang inland sea.
Read the place guide →
Waterway at Sicao Green Tunnel in Tainan · 台南四草绿色隧道水道 Source-recorded photograph date: Taken on 17 December 2015.Sicao Green Tunnel四草绿色隧道
Sicao Green Tunnel is a mangrove-lined waterway behind Sicao Dazhong Temple in Tainan's Annan District.
Read the place guide →
Banyan roots over the former Tait and Company warehouse at Anping Tree House · 安平树屋榕树根系与原德记洋行仓库 Source-recorded photograph date: 2009-12-29 10:55:09.Anping Tree House and Tait & Co. Merchant House安平树屋与德记洋行
Anping Tree House occupies former warehouse space behind the Tait & Co.
Read the place guide →
Anping Old Street in Tainan · 台南安平老街 Source-recorded photograph date: 2018-05-02 11:26:55.Anping Old Street安平老街
Anping Old Street centres on Yanping Street within Tainan's historic port settlement.
Read the place guide →
Tainan Zuojhen Fossil Park exterior · 台南左镇化石园区外观 Source-recorded photograph date: 2019-06-02 09:37:21.Zuojhen Fossil Park左镇化石园区
Zuojhen Fossil Park introduces the fossil discoveries of the Cailiao River basin in eastern Tainan.
Read the place guide →
Guanziling hot spring source beside Jingguang Villa · 关子岭温泉源泉，位于警光山庄旁 Source-recorded photograph date: 2017-05-28 15:55:21.Guanziling Hot Springs关子岭温泉
Guanziling is a hot-spring settlement in the hills east of Baihe, Tainan.
Read the place guide →Local life & food
Tainan City local specialties
臺南市特色美食 · 18 specialties to discover
Beef Soup 牛肉汤
Beef Soup (牛肉汤) in Tainan (台南) is a bowl of thinly sliced fresh beef cooked by pouring a clear beef-bone broth over it. The meat is 'warm-body' beef (溫體牛肉): local Taiwanese beef slaughtered early the same morning and never frozen.
Read the dish guide →
Photo adjustments
EXIF orientation normalized; resized without changing aspect ratio; converted to WebP. No subject edits.
Danzai noodles 担仔面
The noodles are soft and springy, with a concentrated pork topping and seafood-scented broth. Garlic or coriander can add a sharper aromatic finish.
Source ↗Read the dish guide →.jpg){kind=link}
Photo adjustments
EXIF orientation applied where present; resized proportionally to at most 640 px on the long edge and encoded as WebP. No crop, retouching, recoloring or subject changes.
Fried Shrimp Rolls 虾卷AI illustration · AI 示意图（仅供参考，非实拍）
Fried Shrimp Rolls (虾卷) are a Tainan (台南) snack of shrimp bound with fish paste and minced pork, wrapped in pig caul fat and deep-fried until golden, then cut into bite-sized pieces.
Read the dish guide →
Tainan coffin toast 棺材板AI illustration · AI 示意图
The shell is crisp and buttery-rich, while the filling is soft and sauce-heavy. It gradually soaks into the bread.
Source ↗Read the dish guide →
Milkfish Congee 虱目鱼粥
Milkfish Congee (虱目鱼粥) is a savoury rice porridge with milkfish, eaten as a traditional breakfast in Tainan (台南), southern Taiwan.
Read the dish guide →
Stir-Fried Eel with Yimian Noodles 鳝鱼意面
Stir-Fried Eel with Yimian Noodles (鳝鱼意面) combines crisp-textured eel and yimian noodles in a sweet, sour and savoury thick sauce.
Source ↗Read the dish guide →.jpg){kind=link}
Photo adjustments
Full frame retained; proportionally resized and converted to WebP. No retouching or changes to the photographed subject. Card displays may crop the view.
Sticky Rice with Braised Pork Sauce 米糕AI illustration · AI 示意图（仅供参考，非实拍）
Sticky Rice with Braised Pork Sauce (米糕) is a small bowl of cooked glutinous rice spooned with minced braised pork and its sauce and topped with fish floss, one of the rice snacks of Tainan (台南).
Read the dish guide →
Bowl-Steamed Rice Cake 碗粿
Bowl-Steamed Rice Cake (碗粿) is a steamed rice cake found in Tainan (台南). At Xiaoxijiao (小西脚), the documented version uses local rice and a filling of family-recipe braised minced pork, fresh shrimp, mushrooms and egg yolk.
Source ↗Read the dish guide →
All dish names · 全部菜名 (18)
- Beef Soup · 牛肉汤
- Danzai noodles · 担仔面
- Fried Shrimp Rolls · 虾卷
- Tainan coffin toast · 棺材板
- Milkfish Congee · 虱目鱼粥
- Stir-Fried Eel with Yimian Noodles · 鳝鱼意面
- Sticky Rice with Braised Pork Sauce · 米糕
- Bowl-Steamed Rice Cake · 碗粿
- Minced Pork Rice · 肉燥饭
- Fried Oyster Rolls · 蚵卷
- Taiwanese soft tofu dessert · 豆花
- Sugar-Dusted Glutinous Rice Fritters · 白糖粿
- Pork Heart Glass Noodle Soup · 猪心冬粉
- Salty porridge · 咸粥
- Spanish mackerel thick soup · 土魠魚羹
- Beef Hot Pot · 牛肉炉
- Puffed Brown Sugar Pastry · 椪饼
- Shrimp Rice · 虾仁饭
More dishes from across Taiwan are in the Taiwan food guide.
Townships, districts & local cities in Tainan City
37 areas belong directly to Tainan City.
37 areas
Xinying District 新營區
Xinying District or Sinying District is a district and the location of the second administrative center of the Tainan City Government in Taiwan. Sugar production was the most important industry in Xinying.
Explore the area →DistrictYanshuei District 鹽水區
Yanshuei District, alternatively spelled Yanshui, is a district in Tainan, Taiwan, which is famous for its notoriously dangerous fireworks festival called Yanshui Beehive Fireworks Festival.
Explore the area →DistrictBaihe District 白河區
Baihe District is a district located in Tainan, Taiwan. It is known for its hot springs and lotus farming. The town borders Chiayi County to the north and east, Dongshan District to the south, and Houbi…
Explore the area →DistrictLiouying District 柳營區
Liouying District is a rural district of about 20,503 residents in Tainan, Taiwan.
Explore the area →Show fewer areas
Houbi District 後壁區
Houbi District is a rural district of about 22,108 residents in Tainan, Taiwan.
Explore the area →DistrictDongshan District 東山區
Dongshan District is a rural district in Tainan, Taiwan. It was formerly called Hoansia.
Explore the area →DistrictMadou District 麻豆區
Madou District is a district of about 43,071 residents in Tainan special municipality, Taiwan. It owes its name to the Siraya language word Mattau.
Explore the area →DistrictXiaying District 下營區
Xiaying District is a rural district of about 22,825 residents in Tainan, Taiwan.
Explore the area →DistrictLioujia District 六甲區
Lioujia District is a rural district of about 21,392 residents in Tainan, Taiwan.
Explore the area →DistrictGuantian District 官田區
Guantian District is a rural district in central Tainan, Taiwan. It is the hometown of former Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian. It hosts a population of 20,866 residents.
Explore the area →DistrictDanei District 大內區
Danei District is a rural district of about 8,948 residents in Tainan, Taiwan.
Explore the area →DistrictJiali District 佳里區
Jiali District is a district located in northern Tainan, Taiwan, about 15 km north of the former Dutch base of Fort Zeelandia.
Explore the area →DistrictSyuejia District 學甲區
Syuejia District, alternatively spelled Xuejia, is a district of about 24,857 residents in Tainan City, Taiwan.
Explore the area →DistrictSigang District 西港區
Sigang District, alternatively spelled Xigang, is a rural district of about 24,611 residents in Tainan, Taiwan. It is home to two elementary schools, one junior high school, and one high school.
Explore the area →DistrictCigu District 七股區
Cigu District or Chiku is a rural district in the city of Tainan with about 21,441 inhabitants, situated on the westernmost point of the island of Taiwan.
Explore the area →DistrictJiangjun District 將軍區
Jiangjun District is a rural district of about 18,745 residents in Tainan, Taiwan. Its Chinese name translates to "general officer".
Explore the area →DistrictBeimen District 北門區
Beimen District is a coastal district of about 10,191 residents in Tainan, Taiwan.
Explore the area →DistrictXinhua District 新化區
Sinhua District, alternatively spelled Xinhua, is a suburban district in central Tainan, Taiwan.
Explore the area →DistrictShanhua District 善化區
Shanhua District is a suburban district of Tainan, Taiwan. Until 25 December 2010, it was an urban township in the dissolved Tainan County, which is now merged with the original Tainan City to form a single…
Explore the area →DistrictSinshih District 新市區
Sinshih District, alternatively spelled Xinshi, is a rural district in central Tainan, Taiwan, about 11 km north of Fort Provintia.
Explore the area →DistrictAnding District 安定區
Anding District is a rural district of about 29,914 residents in Tainan, Taiwan, with an area of 31.27 square kilometers, or 12.0734 square miles.
Explore the area →DistrictShanshang District 山上區
Shanshang District is a rural district of about 6,966 residents in Tainan, Taiwan.
Explore the area →DistrictYujing District 玉井區
Yujing District is a rural district in eastern Tainan, Taiwan. It is famous for its cultivation of mangoes.
Explore the area →DistrictNansi District 楠西區
Nansi District, alternatively spelled Nanxi, is a rural district of about 8,951 residents in Tainan, Taiwan.
Explore the area →DistrictNanhua District 南化區
Nanhua District is a rural district of about 8,209 residents in Tainan, Taiwan. It has two reservoirs, the larger one being the Nanhua Reservoir. It is the largest district in the city.
Explore the area →DistrictZuojhen District 左鎮區
Zuojhen District is a rural district of about 4,410 residents in Tainan, Taiwan.
Explore the area →DistrictRende District 仁德區
Rende District is a rural district in southern Tainan, Taiwan.
Explore the area →DistrictGueiren District 歸仁區
Gueiren District is a rural district in southern Tainan, Taiwan. It is home to the Tainan HSR station.
Explore the area →DistrictGuanmiao District 關廟區
Guanmiao District is a rural district in southeastern Tainan, Taiwan.
Explore the area →DistrictLongci District 龍崎區
Longci District, alternatively spelled Longqi. is a rural district of about 3,634 residents in Tainan, Taiwan.
Explore the area →DistrictYongkang District 永康區
Yongkang District is a district home to 234,351 people in Tainan, Taiwan.
Explore the area →DistrictEast District 東區
East District is a district home to 180,828 people located in Tainan, Taiwan.
Explore the area →DistrictSouth District 南區
South District is a district home to 121,133 people located in Tainan, Taiwan.
Explore the area →DistrictNorth District 北區
North District is a district home to 126,446 people located in Tainan, Taiwan.
Explore the area →DistrictAnnan District 安南區
Annan District is a coastal district located in the west of Tainan, Taiwan.
Explore the area →DistrictAnping District 安平區
Anping District is a district of Tainan, Taiwan. In March 2012, it was named one of the Top 10 Small Tourist Towns by the Tourism Bureau of Taiwan. It is home to 64,408 people according to the 2020 census.
Explore the area →DistrictWest Central District 中西區
West Central District is a district located in the center of Tainan City, Taiwan. It is home to 76,983 people.
Explore the area →No areas match this name.
Plan your visit
Getting there
Search for 臺南市 in a map app to find stations and your accommodation.
Where to stay →Build your route
Chihkan Tower and Fort Zeelandia (Taiwan) are about 4 km apart in a straight line. The linked place guides have entrance and visit details.
Continue with Taiwan →More in Taiwan
Sources & geographic information
Administrative names and parent areas: Official geographic directory · Reference date 2026-09-06.
Background text adapted from Tainan — Wikipedia contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Text has been shortened and reorganized; source revision 1372858994.
Photo: Chihkan Tower · Koika · CC BY-SA 3.0. Full-frame source proportionally resized and converted to WebP for display. No subject alteration. Source-supplied marks and edits remain; cards may crop the view.
Photo: Fort Zeelandia (Taiwan) · CEphoto, Uwe Aranas · Photo by CEphoto, Uwe Aranas or alternatively © CEphoto, Uwe Aranas · CC BY-SA 3.0. Full-frame source proportionally resized and converted to WebP for display. No subject alteration. Source-supplied marks and edits remain; cards may crop the view.
Photo: Tainan · Tze Chiang Hao · CC BY-SA 4.0. Full-frame source proportionally resized and converted to WebP for display. No subject alteration. Source-supplied marks and edits remain; cards may crop the view.
Photo: Tainan Confucian Temple · lienyuan lee · CC BY 3.0. Full-frame source proportionally resized and converted to WebP for display. No subject alteration. Source-supplied marks and edits remain; cards may crop the view.
Photo: Qigu Salt Mountain and Taiwan Salt Museum · tommy.lan · CC BY-SA 2.0. Full-frame source proportionally resized and converted to WebP for display. No subject alteration. Source-supplied marks and edits remain; cards may crop the view.
Photo: Tainan Art Museum · Taiwania Justo · CC BY-SA 4.0. Full-frame source proportionally resized and converted to WebP for display. No subject alteration. Source-supplied marks and edits remain; cards may crop the view.
Photo: Shennong Street · Tze Chiang Hao · CC BY-SA 4.0. Full-frame source proportionally resized and converted to WebP for display. No subject alteration. Source-supplied marks and edits remain; cards may crop the view.
Photo: Chihkan Tower · Koika · CC BY-SA 3.0. Full-frame source proportionally resized and converted to WebP for display. No subject alteration. Source-supplied marks and edits remain; cards may crop the view.
Photo: Hayashi Department Store · Lchung9779 · CC0. Full-frame source proportionally resized and converted to WebP for display. No subject alteration. Source-supplied marks and edits remain; cards may crop the view.
Photo: Jingzaijiao Tile-Paved Salt Fields · lienyuan lee · CC BY 3.0. Full-frame source proportionally resized and converted to WebP for display. No subject alteration. Source-supplied marks and edits remain; cards may crop the view.
Photo: National Museum of Taiwan History · Pbdragonwang · CC BY-SA 4.0. Full-frame source proportionally resized and converted to WebP for display. No subject alteration. Source-supplied marks and edits remain; cards may crop the view.
Photo: Sicao Green Tunnel · lienyuan lee · CC BY 3.0. Full-frame source proportionally resized and converted to WebP for display. No subject alteration. Source-supplied marks and edits remain; cards may crop the view.
.jpg){kind=link}
Photo: Anping Tree House and Tait & Co. Merchant House · Venation · CC BY-SA 3.0. Full-frame source proportionally resized and converted to WebP for display. No subject alteration. Source-supplied marks and edits remain; cards may crop the view.
Photo: Anping Old Street · Chongkian · CC BY-SA 4.0. Full-frame source proportionally resized and converted to WebP for display. No subject alteration. Source-supplied marks and edits remain; cards may crop the view.
Photo: Zuojhen Fossil Park · Pbdragonwang · CC BY-SA 4.0. Full-frame source proportionally resized and converted to WebP for display. No subject alteration. Source-supplied marks and edits remain; cards may crop the view.
Photo: Guanziling Hot Springs · Kamakura · CC BY-SA 4.0. Full-frame source proportionally resized and converted to WebP for display. No subject alteration. Source-supplied marks and edits remain; cards may crop the view.
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Pins mark approximate centres, not entrances or boundaries.