Compared with Eternal Golden Castle, also known as the Anping “Large” Fort, this fort is relatively “petite”, and consequently named the “Small Fort”. This fort was built in order to prevent any invasions by the British during the Opium War (which was fought between China and the British). Unlike the Eternal Golden Castle, which is a modern western-style fort, Anping Small Fort was built in the style of the late period of traditional Chinese forts. Currently this fort is the most fully preserved fort from that period.
Anping had always been an important coastal defense site since Taiwan was annexed by the Ch’ing Empire. Anping Small Fort was built by the Governing Official of Taiwan Yao Ying after the First Opium War (1841). Until the completion of the Eternal Golden Castle, Anping Small Fort served as the most important fortification on the south-west coastal area of Anping City (present Anping Old Fort area).
Over the years, the Fort had gradually moved away from the coastline due to geographical shifts in the environment, and consequently lost its coastal defense functions. The surrounding stone remains of the old sea dike are evidence of the coastline changes of Anping in the past decades. There is a raised glass seal on the fort which used to be the entrance to a basement arsenal. After Tainan city government’s revitalization project, Anping Small Fort is no longer an intimidating structure of combat; instead, the area is now a small recreation park with green lawns and a pond.
※Free Admission
※Location: the intersection of Hunei 2nd St. and Anping Rd.