Bopiliao Old Street, Taipei

Bopiliao Old Street is one of Taipei’s oldest and best-preserved historic streets, offering a rare glimpse into the city’s pre-modern urban life. Located in the Wanhua District, the area developed during the late Qing dynasty in the 18th and 19th centuries, when Wanhua-then known as Bangka-was one of northern Taiwan’s most important commercial centres. Merchants built shop-houses along what is now Bopiliao Street, combining storefronts with living spaces behind and above, forming a distinctive streetscape shaped by traditional southern Chinese architecture.

One of the most immediately striking features is the collection of brick buildings more than 100 years old. Their red-brick façades, arcaded walkways, tiled roofs, and wooden details give the street a character unlike most other areas of Taipei.

During the Japanese colonial period, Bopiliao continued to function as a commercial and residential neighbourhood, although parts of it were later altered as the city modernised. Unlike many historic districts, it escaped large-scale postwar redevelopment and was carefully restored in the early 21st century.

Historical markers placed along the route provide detailed information about individual buildings and their former uses. Among these, a key highlight is the Heritage and Culture Education Center. It occupies a restored section at the eastern end of the Bopiliao block and is easily recognised by its traditional arched red-brick corridor and clearly marked entrance in both Chinese and English. Inside, the “Medical Development” exhibit includes Dr. Lu A-chang’s Clinic, housed in the former residence of this prominent Wanhua physician. Visitors can see preserved wooden medicine cabinets and a replica of a traditional 19th-century consultation room.

Another notable feature is the Old Classroom Exhibit, located on the second floor and accessible via a wooden staircase near the central courtyard. This section, which overlooks the historic street below, recreates an early 20th-century classroom. Inside, visitors can sit at vintage wooden desks, examine original inkwells, and view textbooks from the Japanese colonial era.