Program of Uncle Fat’s Tour Guide of Love River

Outdoor Class...4 hours

Date：Feb. 29th , Fri. 1:00 to 5:00 p.m.

13:00-13:30 Da Yung Elementary School

      to Heart of Love River(Ruyi Lake)

13:30-13:40 Visit Heart of Love River…

     intersection of Boai & Tongmeng Rd.

13:40-13:50 Heart of Love River to Hakka

    Cultural Museum (along Tongmeng Rd.)

13:50-14:00 Visit Hakka Cultural Museum

            & Tower of Light

14:00-14:10 Hakka Cultural Museum to

            Former Tangrong Brick Kiln

14:10-14:30 Visit Former Tangrong

            Brick Kiln

14:30-14:40 Tangrong Brick Kiln to

            JianGuo Bridge

      (Cars go to True Love Ferry Pier)

14:40-15:00 Tea Time

            (Love River Riverbank Park)

15:00-15:40 Visit Kaohsiung Museum of

            History & Film Archives

            (Along Hohsi Rd.)

15:40-16:10 Visit Rose Basilica & True

            Love Ferry Pier by foot

16:10-16:30 Review Love River

            (True Love Ferry Pier)

16:30-17:00 From True Love Ferry Pier

            Back to Da Yung

Kaohsiung Meseum of History

The Museum is situated by Love River and is renovated from the old city government building, which was built in 1938 during Japanese occupiede period. The building was the site of the Takao Municipal Office in Japanese time, and the Kaohsiung City Government after the restoration of Taiwan.

The Kaohsiung City Government relocated to the new office building located on Suu-wei 3rd Road in 1992. The old city government building was a landmark and also had symbolic and historic significance, so the city Government decided to preserve the old building and gave it a more significant function. The history museum was renovated from the old building, meanwhile, a commercial and industrial exhibition center and a music hall nearby were both newly constructed.

 The old city government building was constructed 70 years ago when Japanese imperialism was at its peak, so the style of construction put emphasis on praising Japanese shintoism and the roofs of most official buildings in those days were built in so called "imperial crown style". The old city government building was one example of such architecture. As the architecture of that period was influenced by the big fire caused by the Great Tokyo Earthquake, special importance on building materials and structures was attached.

The old city government building was originally in rectangle layout and was composed of a laterally wide four-storied front building and a three storied rear building. Since the three-storied rear building was constructed after the restoration of Taiwan and had no preservation value, it was dismantled.

The color of appearance of old building is in defense color (grass green), and inside and outside of the building is decorated with line pattern of ancient Occidental revivalism, while the roofs are in Oriental palace style. The entire building shows a harmonious mixture of the East and the West.

Current Exhibitions：The Story of Takao-Exhibition of the Glove Puppets

Permanent Exhibitions：The Story of old city hall／A Stroll Over The City Map Of Kaohsiung／Explore the Century of Kaohsiung

愛河之心 (如意湖)

The 200 million NT dollar project ”Heart of Love River – Ruyi Lake” is situated on the crossroads of Bo-ai Rd. and Tongmeng Rd. officially opened on Nov. last year. The traveling route of the”Love Boat”on Love River will be extended upstream from Jianguo Bridge to Bo-ai Bridge and lengthened to 6 km. Heart of Love River not only has the functions of providing a resting and sightseeing space and causing industrial value, but also possesses the functions of controlling or preventing flood. It will become the new landmark in northern Kaohsiung`s waterfront city better in the future.

Love Boat sailing project is the only project the integrates the functions of sightseeing of blue waterscape and landscape, controlling or preventing flood, redevelopment of the wetlands and providing sightseeing and recreation spots in Taiwan. There are Lovers Bridge and humpback bridges across the Ruyi Lake of Heart of Love River to connect the bike path systems. It affords a power saving, environmental protective and healthy relaxing space. At nighttime, the splendid lights on the three bridges of Ruyi Lake shine brilliantly with their reflection on the surface of the water and form a beautiful scene.

客家文物館

Situated inside the Sanmin Park No.2, the Kaohsiung Hakka Culture Museum is Taiwan’s biggest museum dedicated to Hakka Culture,sprawling across 800 pings (2645 m2). Modeling on the traditional Hakka architecture in mainland China, the museum’s buildings are designed in red-glass-tile-roofed and three-sided courtyard compound, divided into exhibition areas, offices, and conference rooms. The collection on display features the Hakka culture and artifacts, with Hakka cultural activities held on a random basis that aim at encouraging the research and understanding of Hakka traditions and customs.

光之塔

Located in Sanmin Family Park on Tongmong Road, the tower of light used to be used as a High- Pressure Electricity Tower. Since it had not been used for this purpose for some time, the community suggested turning it into its present form. The Tower of Light is now sparkling with colorful lights each night.

中都磚窯場

Chungtu Tangjung Brick Kiln Factory used to be the Samejima Tile Kiln set up by Samejima mori, a Japanese man, in 1897. It was then converted to the “Taiwan Tile Kiln Company Takau Factory” in 1913. Six additional Eight Diagram Kilns were built for expansion purposes, so that massive production of bricks marked with TR could be produced by the high-production facilities to make the factory an important building in southern Taiwan during the Japanese colonial era. At present, “Chungtu Tangjung Brick Kiln Factory” is the only national historic site in the mid-stream of Love River, as well as the first brick kiln factory with an Eight Diagram Kiln. It thus has great historical and cultural value.

建國橋

Love River Bridge over Jianguo Road (now beside Carrefour on Love River Branch) is the important bridge between Sankuaicuo and Yancheng. It is the first reinforced concrete bridge over Love River, which was called “Kawada Bridge” by the Japanese government and “Nansing Bridge” by the public. During WWII, part of the bridge surface was damaged by the war. After the restoration, timber was used for its repair to give it a special look combining concrete and timber.

At present, the new look features the major elements of “rainbows and egrets”. It is not only a bridge for creating rainbows over water, but also a very humanized bridge to add beauty to Love River. It is an important step for the creation of bridge scenery and metropolitan images.

愛河

Located at the intersection of Chungcheng 4th Road and Love River, right across from the former Kaohsiung City Government building, Jenai Park is a lovely place and considered a convenient and great rendezvous by couples, due to its location adjacent to Love River. As lights go on at night, many couples in love would come to the park for a romantic stroll or sit down to enjoy the beautiful views of the park and Love River that has greatly improved after years of dredging.

On special days, the park, providing a panoramic view, often becomes the best option for outdoor activities, such as the city’s annual Lantern Festival and concerts by pop singers.

高雄市立音樂館

The Kaohsiung Music Center and the Exhibition Center for Industry & Commerce are located on either side of the Kaohsiung Museum of History. The Kaohsiung Music Center is situated along the bank of Love River and its outdoor music hall holds different programs every holiday.

高雄市立歷史博物館

Located on Chungcheng 4th Road, the Kaohsiung Museum of History is renovated from the former Kaohsiung City Government building. The museum has a huge collection of precious historical records about the city of Kaohsiung and holds regular history-themed exhibitions. Aside from the building housing the collection, the museum also has a commercial and industrial exhibition center as well as a music hall.

The former Kaohsiung City Government building was built in 1938 during the Japanese colonial period. In 1992, the KCG was relocated to its present site on Ssuwei 3rd Road. After consulting with scholars, experts, and local leaders, the KCG came up with the policy to preserve its old building and transform it into a history museum.

Permanently on display in the museum are the historical records about Takou (literally “Beating the Dog”, the former name of Kaohsiung). After a tour of the history of Kaohsiung City, visitors are encouraged to take a stroll down the walk trail by the scenic Love River.

鰲躍龍翔

The statue of the leaping carp transforming itself into a soaring dragon is located at the end of Minsheng 2nd Road, and was used as the theme for the 2001 Lantern Festival, which was hosted by Kaohsiung. Although the festival has ended, the illuminating statue and its supporting tortoise-shaped platform still remains, and has become an important landmark for the city.

電影圖書館

The Information Office of the Kaohsiung City Government owns the Kaohsiung Municipal Film Archives. Located close to Love River, the Kaohsiung Municipal Film Archives has an exhibition hall on the first floor displaying different cinema-related information, which is regularly updated. The second floor has storage rooms for books and films and also an audio-visual room, and both rooms are open for public use. There are two cinemas on the 3rd floor, which are dedicated to playing foreign films.

玫瑰聖母堂

Located aside Love River, Kaohsiung Rose Basilica used to be the favorite place by painters and photographers and is the most ancient　architecture in European style. However, few people know the historical value of the basilica, which is the first stop through which Catholics re-entered Taiwan. May 18th, 1858 is the anniversary when Catholics started to preach in Taiwan formally.

In 1860, a “mud house” was reformed to a mission and named “Lady Chapel”. With the full name of “Kaohsiung Rose Basilica”, it is still the biggest basilica in Taiwan now. The unique style and harmonious color of grey and white of Kaohsiung Rose Basilica are spectacular. Rose Basilica was the first cathedral in Taiwan and has its uniqueness in the architecture history of Taiwan.

真愛碼頭

No. 12 Pier of Kaohsiung used to be a pier for bulk carriers. But as such carriers had been gradually replaced by container vessels, the pier had been abandoned. In order to re-develop the pier, which is located at the junction of the river and the harbor, the Public Works Bureau of the city government has formulated an overall development plan for No. 12 Pier to promote a river-harbor project, so as to make it a transit port for river and harbor transportation.

In the future, No. 12 Pier will extend the leisure and sight-seeing activities on the banks of Love River and the overall development and connection of the pier. Citizens can enjoy the beauty of Love River here and view the impressiveness of vessels sailing into Kaohsiung harbor. This area will become the night pearl of southern Taiwan.

“Love Vessel” and “Glory Vessel”, both become another important means of transport for sightseeing in Kaohsiung.