Beimen Crystal Church

Based on salt drying and fish farming industry, Beimen District, Tainan, is far from the downtown and short of well-known attractions. Therefore, although the district boasts Nankunshen Temple, the most visited temple in Taiwan, and Jingzijiao Tile-paved Salt Fields, a spot with the most fascinating sunset, the visitor center for the district, which stands near the most featured grocer's Money Coming, was rarely frequented. The local government then came up with an idea, building an open-air landscape suitable for pre-wedding photos—just like Shimen Wedding Plaza on the North Coast. What the government did not plan is: the crystal church floating on the water had its photos circulated virally on Facebook. After that, a large throng of visitors pour in, pushing their ways to take photos on the brand-new romantic attraction, whether in the morning or at dusk. According to the rules, the public cannot cross over the fences for a close-up if they do not apply for a wedding. Hence, photography aficionados are thus able to catch the captivating scene without being blocked by visitors. In addition to the transparent church, there is a lot of outdoor installation art in the nearby plaza. The white piano invites couples to pose for a piano duet. The massive square stone carving symbolizes secure love, and the bamboo-woven red heart manifests eternal love. The exterior walls of the visitor center are also painted with various kinds of lovely patterns, and the cameras in visitors’ hands find no spare time. Although we have no idea how long these art pieces can stand in the sea breeze, a large number of visitors will make a special trip to Beimen on weekends in a year or two at least.