The Old Tainan Weather Observatory

 Address:Geographical location : No.21, Gongyuan Rd., , West Central Dist., Tainan City Longitude : 120.205062401583, Latitude : 22.9936656751826
 Subject:AssetClassification : Historic Monument, AssetsLevel : National Historic Monument, Asset Type : Public Building

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【Introduction】

In 1896 (the 29th year of Emperor Meiji), a project on setting up weather stations in Taiwan was launched. Later in March of that year, a set of regulations and procedures for the project was issued by the office of Taiwan Prefecture. The plan was to build weather station in Taipei, Taichong, Tainan, Hengchu, and Penghu. Inaugurated in 1898, the Tainan Weather Observatory was the first one to start operations, and it is also the only one that remains today. The building has served as a testament for the development of meteorology in Taiwan, and its historic value deserves to be preserved. The building is a polygonal structure with a wide circular base and a thin white tower. The central focus is its wind turbine tower and the cylindrical observatory tower. The tower tapers slightly upward to a corbelling in the center of the roof on the tower’s flat top. Inside the tower there is a steel, spiral staircase; next to it elliptical arched windows were installed to correspond to the height of the staircase to introduce more natural light to the space. On the rooftop are various weather observation devices including weather vanes, and wind and rain gauges. A brick structure was constructed around the lower part of the tower, where a corridor connects six work areas: the forecast room, the duty room, and the seismic instrument room. The sloping roof is supported by 18 sets of wood trusses and oblique brackets. It is also covered with clay tiles. The unique design has become an architectural attraction.

 

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