臺北市政府文化局

《Culture of Taipei - Strolling the North Town》

North Town grew outwards from what is now the Nanjing West Rd. shopping area.The main road running through this area is Zhongshan N. Rd., the lanes and alleys of which are dotted with buildings left by Americans and the Japanese, vestiges of their lifestyles.

Preface by the Director General

The style of a city comes from its cultural background. Taipei is a city full of vitality and various cultures from different eras which are woven together to create its varied appearances today. We started publishing the Cultural Taipei travel guidebook series to introduce the diverse cultures and styles of Taipei.

The area described in Strolling the North Town stretches from the Zhongshan/Shuanglian metro stations and extends to Yuanshan and has developed a unique cultural fusion from its American, Japanese and Southeast Asian cultural influences. A hundred years ago, “Cheng Bei” referred to the area north of Taipei City proper, which was an important business center because it had good rail and waterway links. During the Japanese Colonial Era it became the Yucheng (Royal) District, and Chishi (Ambassador) Street was the road Japanese people took to visit the shrines and also where foreign consulates were located. In 1950s, with the beginning of the Cooperate Defense Era of the US Military Advisory, western culture was introduced by American troops. In the 1990s, there were department stores along Nanjing West Road, and the construction of the Tamsui metro line propelled the opening of many restaurants and fashion stores, attracting a large number of visitors to the area. In recent years, the rise of the cultural creative industry has seen many cultural creative stores opening, and bookstores and coffee shops with unique styles have come to Chifeng Street and Xingcheng Street, which used to have a lot of blacksmith shops. The result is a happy blend of different generations coexisting. Linear Park green corridor—the heart of Zhongshan—was completed in 2019, and its modern beauty stands out around the Zhongshan and Shuanglian metro stations, showcasing a charming fusion of old and new culture.

Swiss historian Jacob Burckhardt once said, “To each eye, perhaps, the outlines of a given civilization present a different picture.” The North Town is a place where department stores and unique boutiques coexist, where books, dance, music, and movies are gathered together in an artistic showcase. Visitors come here to escape from their busy daily lives and find their own favorite North Town cultural attraction.