Grand South Gate

The Grand South Gate is one of two main gates left from the days when Tainan City was still protected by walls, and the only one in Tainan that still has its defensive wall intact. Today, it is located in the Confucius Temple Cultural Zone and surrounded by a lovely city park where locals and tourist alike often take a leisurely stroll.

When you get to the city park, you will first encounter a collection of more than sixty steles (tablets) that commemorates centuries of battles, bridge constructions and official promotions from the Qing dynasty. Don’t worry if you can read Chinese characters as descriptions of each stele are available in Chinese and English — we heard there are some quite interesting, almost funny decrees for you to find out. The Grand South Gate actually has two different gates, which do not face directly for strategic purposes. Visitors are free to move about the fortifications and climb to the top of the walls to have a look around. Walking out of the gate, you will find Tainan Film Center, a great spot to catch a repertoire of old Taiwanese classics. Flea markets are usually held here over the weekends, bringing a breath of fresh air to this historic site.