In 1858, the Treaty of Tianjin was ratified, which, beside legalizing opium imports, permitting Christian missionaries access to China, and allowing foreign diplomats and embassies into Beijing, also facilitated more trade between China and foreign countries. To the island of Taiwan, this meant the opening of many ports, including the port at Takow (an old name for Kaohsiung, originating from the Siraya language) in 1863. Only a year later, the British government relocated their soon-to-be Consul General, Robert Swinhoe, from Tainan to Takow. After 12 years of operating out of the ship Ternate and then a building in Chihou, construction on a new Consulate building commenced, and was finished in 1879. Over a hundred of years later, after multiple events - including the Sino-Japanese War of 1894, a few efforts to transform the property into an observatory of various themes, 1977 Typhoon Thelma, etc. - the former consulate was restored in 2010 and grouped together with a historic hiking pathway and Robert Swinhoe’s former residence to create the cultural park now known as the British Consulate at Takow.
The British Consulate at Takow is located next to a traditional temple (西子灣靈興殿十八王公廟) with its own stairwell (十八王公步道) up the hill. Admission to the Consulate costs under $100 NT for all people entering, which is purchasable every day except for Wednesdays, when the Consulate undergoes its weekly maintenance. Starting at the top of the hill, visitors are greeted by a stout brick building, complete with a breezy veranda and wide, semi-circular arches to support the roof. Platforms extending outwards allow visitors to look out onto the sea, and hedges line the main building and the garden sitting at the back of the Consulate. Inside of the Consulate, various exhibitions help educate visitors about Kaohsiung’s history. The Consulate also notably offers Afternoon Tea at their Rose House. There, visitors can choose from a variety of meals - like strip steak or roast chicken, served with soup and bread - and drinks ranging from British fruit iced teas to meditative health herbal teas. For the ultimate experience, a traditional afternoon tea served on a 3-tiered serving tray is also offered as a light meal option.
Past the garden is the hiking trail, which consists of a patchwork of steps leading down to the former Swinhoe residence. The trail is marked with a couple of educational sculptures about Robert Swinhoe’s work in naturalism and zoology. Besides being the British General Consul in Taiwan, Swinhoe was also interested in Taiwan’s biodiversity and natural environment, and used binomial nomenclature to classify hundreds of Taiwanese plant, animal, and insect species.
At the bottom of the steps is the former British Consular Residence, decorated with many wax figures depicting life during the late 1800’s. Besides a souvenir shop, the inside of the building also holds a reconstruction of the failed negotiations between a British Consul and a Qing-era authority.
With its expansive history, foreign architecture, British food, and beautiful scenery, it is no wonder that the British Consulate at Takow is a popular tourist destination for anyone stopping through the Gushan District in Kaohsiung.
