The Taipei Metro Songshan Airport station is located in Songshan , Taipei , Taiwan . It is a station on Wenhu line and serves as a transportation gateway to Taipei Songshan Airport .
77-403: The Wenhu or Brown line (code BR ) is a metro line in Taipei operated by Taipei Metro , named after the districts it connects: Wenshan and Neihu . It is an automated medium-capacity rubber-tyred metro line and is 25.1 kilometres (15.6 mi) long, serving a total of 24 stations located in 7 districts in Taipei , of which 22 are elevated and 2 underground. As of April 2022,
154-575: A broad saddle between two mountains, the area also contains the marshy Datun Pond. To the southeast of the city lie the Songshan Hills and the Qingshui Ravine, which form a barrier of lush woods. Taipei has a humid subtropical climate ( Köppen : Cfa ). Summers are long-lasting, very hot and humid, and accompanied by occasional heavy rainstorms and typhoons; while winters are short, generally warm and generally very foggy due to
231-509: A continuing Republic of China. Taipei expanded greatly in the decades after 1949, and as approved on 30 December 1966, by the Executive Yuan , Taipei was declared a special municipality on 1 July 1967. In the following year, Taipei City expanded again by annexing Shilin , Beitou , Neihu , Nangang , Jingmei , and Muzha . At that time, the city's total area increased fourfold by absorbing several outlying towns and villages and
308-535: A historic cinema, and the Red House Theater . Modern structures house karaoke businesses, art film cinemas, wide-release movie cinemas, electronic stores, and a wide variety of restaurants and fashion clothing stores. The pedestrian area is especially popular with teens and has been called the " Harajuku " of Taipei. The newly developed Xinyi District is popular with tourists and locals alike for its many entertainment and shopping venues, as well as being
385-464: A new administrative entity of the Qing dynasty. Having been established adjoining the flourishing townships of Bangka , Dalongdong , and Twatutia , the new prefectural capital was known as Chengnei ( Chinese : 城內 ; pinyin : chéngnèi ; Pe̍h-ōe-jī : siâⁿ-lāi ), "the inner city", and government buildings were erected there. From 1875 until the beginning of Japanese rule in 1895, Taipei
462-562: A range of multimedia displays. The Taipei Fine Arts Museum was established in 1983 as the first museum in Taiwan dedicated to modern art . The museum is housed in a building designed for the purpose that takes inspiration from Japanese designs. Most art in the collection is by Taiwanese artists since 1940. Over 3,000 art works are organized into 13 groups. The National Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall near Taipei 101 in Xinyi District
539-875: A relatively small area around the Neo19, ATT 4 FUN and Taipei 101 buildings. The thriving shopping area around Taipei Main Station includes the Taipei Underground Market and the original Shin Kong Mitsukoshi department store at Shin Kong Life Tower . Other popular shopping destinations include the Zhongshan Metro Mall , Dihua Street and the Guang Hua Digital Plaza . The Miramar Entertainment Park
616-528: A result of the 28 February Incident , which began with incidents in Taipei but led to an island-wide crackdown on the local population by forces loyal to Chiang. Two years later, on 7 December 1949, Chiang and the Kuomintang forces were forced to flee mainland China after the defeat by Communist revolutionaries. The KMT-led national government that fled to Taiwan declared Taipei to be the provisional capital of
693-501: Is Taiwan 's oldest, founded on 24 October 1908 by Taiwan's Japanese colonial government (1895–1945) as the Taiwan Governor's Museum. It was launched with a collection of 10,000 items to celebrate the opening of the island's North–South Railway. In 1915 a new museum building opened its doors in what is now 228 Peace Memorial Park . This structure and the adjacent governor's office (now Presidential Office Building ), served as
770-659: Is 5th highest in East Asia, behind Tokyo, Singapore, Osaka, and Hong Kong, but ahead of Seoul, as well as London and Paris, according to The Economist . GDP per capita based on Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) in Taipei in 2015 was US$ 44,173, behind that of Singapore (US$ 90,151 in 2016 from the IMF) and Hong Kong (US$ 58,322 in 2016 from the IMF; also based on PPP). The Financial Times ranked Taipei highly in economic potential (2nd, behind Tokyo) and business friendliness (4th) in 2015. The city
847-573: Is Google's biggest engineering site in Asia. IBM also announced in 2018 that it will develop a cloud research lab and expand its R&D center in Taipei with eyes on artificial intelligence, blockchain technology, and cloud computing. According to the 2016 Global Entrepreneurship Development Index, Taipei's entrepreneurial spirit ranks 6th worldwide and 1st in Asia. Taipei has more than 400 startups and numerous incubation centers, accelerators, venture capitals, and angel investors. The city's startup ecosystem
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#1732786823484924-580: Is an enclave of the municipality of New Taipei City that sits about 25 km (16 mi) southwest of the northern port city of Keelung . Most of the city rests on the Taipei Basin , an ancient lakebed. The basin is bounded by the relatively narrow valleys of the Keelung and Xindian rivers , which join to form the Tamsui River along the city's western border. The municipality of Taipei
1001-404: Is composed of four major ethnic subgroups: Hoklos , Waishengren , Hakkas , and aborigines . Although Hoklos and Waishengren form the majority of the population of the city, in recent decades many Hakkas have moved into the city. The aboriginal population in the city stands at 16,713 at the end of 2018 (<1%), concentrated mostly in the suburban districts. Foreigners (mainly from Indonesia ,
1078-425: Is extremely common and there is poor visibility throughout the city after rainless days. Motor vehicle engine exhaust, particularly from motor scooters, is a source of air pollution in Taipei. There are higher levels of fine particulate matter and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the mornings because of less air movement; sunlight reduces some pollution. While Taipei City is home to 2,524,393 people (2022),
1155-664: Is home to 30 billionaires, the 16th most in the world, ahead of many global cities such as Los Angeles and Sydney. Business Insider also ranks Taipei the 5th most high-tech city globally, the highest in Asia, in 2017. While the IESE Cities in Motion Index 2017 ranks Taipei as the smartest technology city globally. Taipei's main development fields include the information and communications technology (hardware and software), biotechnology, general merchandizing (wholesale/retail), financial services, and MICE industries. Most of
1232-458: Is home to an estimated population of 2,494,813 (March 2023), forming the core part of the Taipei–Keelung metropolitan area , also known as "Greater Taipei", which includes the nearby cities of New Taipei and Keelung with a population of 7,047,559, the 40th most-populous urban area in the world—roughly one-third of Taiwanese citizens live in the metro areas. The name "Taipei" can refer either to
1309-557: Is housed in a building that formerly housed Taipei City government offices. Taipei 101 is a 101-floor landmark skyscraper that claimed the title of world's tallest building when it opened in 2004, a title it held for six years before the Burj Khalifa in Dubai was completed. Designed by C.Y. Lee & Partners and constructed by KTRT Joint Venture , Taipei 101 measures 509 m (1,670 ft) from ground to top, making it
1386-493: Is known for its large Ferris wheel and IMAX theater. Songshan Airport metro station This four-level, underground station features an island platform and three exits. The station is 150 meters long, 20 meters wide, and is accessible from Songshan Airport via a 42-meter long underground cross passage. This station is one of the only two underground stations on the Wenhu line, the other being Dazhi station. They are also
1463-529: Is named in honor of a founding father of the Republic of China , Sun Yat-sen . The hall, completed on 16 May 1972, originally featured exhibits that depicted revolutionary events in the Republican period of China . Today it functions as multi-purpose social , educational , concert and cultural center for Taiwan's citizens. In 2001 a new museum opened as Museum of Contemporary Art Taipei . The museum
1540-478: Is near the Shilin Night Market and houses three theaters for events with multi-week runs. The architectural design, by Rem Koolhaas and OMA , was determined in 2009 in an international competition. The same design process is also in place for a new Taipei Center for Popular Music and Taipei City Museum . Taipei is known for its many night markets , which include the Shilin Night Market in
1617-482: Is valued at US$ 580 million by Startup Genome in 2018. Tourism is a small but significant component of the local economy with international visitors totaling almost 3 million in 2008. Taipei has many top tourist attractions and contributes a significant amount to the US$ 6.8 billion tourism industry in Taiwan. Tourism is a major part of Taipei's economy. In 2013, over 6.3 million overseas visitors visited Taipei, making
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#17327868234841694-709: The Allies during 1945, effective control of Taiwan was handed to the Republic of China (ROC) . After facing defeat from Communist forces, the ruling Kuomintang relocated the ROC government to Taiwan and declared Taipei the provisional capital of the ROC in December 1949. Taiwan's Kuomintang rulers regarded the city as the capital of Taiwan Province and their control as mandated by General Order No. 1 . In 1990, Taipei provided
1771-700: The Kuomintang and have lost much of their original character. As settlement for losing the First Sino-Japanese War , China ceded the island of Taiwan to the Empire of Japan in 1895 as part of the Treaty of Shimonoseki . After the Japanese takeover, Taipei, romanized into English as Taihoku following the Japanese language pronunciation, was retained as the capital. It subsequently emerged as
1848-677: The Olympics . The spellings Taipei and Tʻai-pei derive from the Wade–Giles romanization Tʻai²-pei³ which means the North of Taiwan in Chinese. The name could be also romanized as Táiběi according to Hanyu Pinyin and Tongyong Pinyin . The city has also been known as Tai-pak (derived from Taiwanese Hokkien ) and Taipeh . During the Japanese rule from 1895 to 1945, Taipei
1925-486: The Philippines , and Japan ) numbered 71,858 at the end of 2022. As Taiwan's business, financial, and technology hub, Taipei has been at the center of rapid economic development in the country and has now become one of the global cities in technology and electronics. This development is part of the so-called Taiwan Economic Miracle which has seen dramatic growth in the city following foreign direct investment in
2002-526: The Shilin District . The surrounding streets by Shilin Night Market are extremely crowded during the evening, usually opening late afternoon and operating well past midnight. Most night markets feature individual stalls selling a mixture of food, clothing, and consumer goods. Ximending has been an area for shopping and entertainment since the 1930s. Historic structures include a concert hall,
2079-417: The Taipei Basin as well as differing times of settlement and differing degrees of economic development of its districts, Taipei's population is not evenly distributed. The districts of Daan , Songshan , and Datong are the most densely populated. These districts, along with adjacent communities such as Yonghe and Zhonghe , contain some of the most densely populated neighborhoods in the world. In 2008,
2156-605: The VAL 256 rolling stock and electrical systems for the line sued the Department of Rapid Transit Systems of the Taipei City Government for costs overruns claiming to have resulted from the latter failing to provide the necessary infrastructure to build the line. Subsequently, the company pulled out of the operation of the line in 1994. Chen Shui Bian , then Mayor of Taipei declared that progress and operation of
2233-406: The crude birth rate stood at 7.88%, while the mortality rate stood at 5.94%. A decreasing and rapidly aging population is an important issue for the city. By the end of 2009, one in ten people in Taipei was over 65 years of age. Residents who had obtained a college education or higher accounted for 43.48% of the population, and the literacy rate stood at 99.18%. Like the rest of Taiwan, Taipei
2310-586: The 1940s as a result of the Chinese Civil War . The National Palace Museum in Taipei now boasts a truly international collection while housing one of the world's largest collections of artifacts from ancient China. The Shung Ye Museum of Formosan Aborigines stands just 200 m (660 ft) across the road from the National Palace Museum. The museum offers displays of art and historical items by Taiwanese aborigines along with
2387-453: The 1960s. Taiwan is now a creditor economy, holding one of the world's largest foreign exchange reserves of over US$ 403 billion as of December 2012. Despite the Asian financial crisis , the economy continues to expand at about 5% per year, with virtually full employment and low inflation. The city's GDP stand at US$ 327 billion in 2014. As of 2013 , the nominal GDP per capita in Taipei city
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2464-629: The C370's. The Wenhu line is now the only line worldwide to use the VAL 256; the O'Hare International Airport 's Airport Transit System phased theirs out in 2019. All the stations are inside Taipei City. Taipei Taipei ( / ˌ t aɪ ˈ p eɪ / ; Chinese : 臺北 ; pinyin : Táiběi ), officially Taipei City , is the capital and a special municipality of Taiwan . Located in Northern Taiwan , Taipei City
2541-567: The Central Government stated that if construction for the Neihu line did not start immediately, they would withhold the grant money for the line. In addition, due to the narrow streets and numerous turns in Neihu, construction of an underground high-capacity line would have been infeasible. Thus, the plan to build an elevated line continued after much delay. There was also significant debate whether Songshan Airport should be included on
2618-611: The Japanese defeat following the nuclear bomb destruction of Hiroshima and its consequent surrender in August 1945, the Kuomintang (Chinese Nationalist Party) assumed control of Taiwan. Subsequently, Taipei was established as a provincial city and a temporary Office of the Taiwan Province Administrative Governor was established in it. In 1947 the Kuomintang (KMT) government under Chiang Kai-shek declared island-wide martial law in Taiwan as
2695-418: The Japanese reading of the two characters. The writing in Chinese characters remained unaltered. Under Japanese rule, the city was administered under Taihoku Prefecture . Taiwan's Japanese rulers embarked on an extensive program of advanced urban planning that featured extensive railroad links. A number of Taipei landmarks and cultural institutions date from this period. Following the surrender of Japan to
2772-574: The Pacific Ocean, it is affected by the Pacific typhoon season, which occurs between June and October. In comparison to other Asian cities, Taipei has "excellent" capabilities for managing air quality in the city. Its rainy climate, location near the coast, and strong environmental regulations have prevented air pollution from becoming a substantial health issue, at least compared to cities in southeast Asia and industrial China. However, smog
2849-717: The TRA station was built at a different location from the present Metro station. All exits are accessible by escalator, elevator, and stairs. Because of the station's proximity to Songshan Airport, many of the public art works in the station revolve around flight and travel. The overall theme for the station is "The Story of Flight". The artworks were selected as part of a contest, with the open selection process beginning in July 2006 and winners announced in December 2006. Grand Tour Materials: Glass (clear), matte steel (white) Location: Exit 3 Square Description: In this age, travel
2926-525: The TRTC). As of 19 December 2010, trials are being run on retrofitted VAL 256 trains modified to run on both the Muzha and Neihu lines. The trains are expected to fully enter revenue service after testing by 26 December 2010. On 26 December 2010, the line would operate with 6 pairs of the retrofitted VAL 256's and 25-29 pairs of the C370's. By December 27, the ratio increased with 10 pairs of VAL 256's and 40 pairs of
3003-488: The Taipei Basin in 1709. In the late 19th century, the Taipei area, where the major Han Chinese settlements in northern Taiwan and one of the designated overseas trade ports, Tamsui , were located, gained economic importance due to the booming overseas trade, especially that of tea export. In 1875, the northern part of Taiwan was separated from Taiwan Prefecture and incorporated into the new Taipeh Prefecture as
3080-488: The area. In 1875, the northern part of the island was incorporated into the new Taipeh Prefecture . It was formerly established as Taipeh-fu and was the temporary capital of the island in 1887 when it was declared a province ( Fukien-Taiwan Province ). Taipeh was formally made the provincial capital in 1894. The romanized transcription of Taipeh was changed to Taihoku in 1895 when the Empire of Japan annexed Taiwan, based on
3157-595: The area. Meanwhile, technology and electronics companies are often co-located in the Neihu Technology Park or the Nankang Software Park . The startup and innovation scene in Taipei is also very vibrant. In 2018 alone, Microsoft announced plans to invest US$ 34 million to create an artificial intelligence R&D center in Taipei, while Google announced it will hire 300 people and train 5,000 more in artificial intelligence for machines. Taipei
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3234-515: The backdrop for the Wild Lily student rallies that moved Taiwanese society from one-party rule to multi-party democracy by 1996 . The city has served as the seat of Taiwan's democratically elected national government ever since. Prior to the 18th century, the region known as the Taipei Basin was home to Ketagalan tribes. Han Chinese colonists from Dabu County , Yongding County , Anxi and Tong'an of Southern Fujian began to settle in
3311-497: The city the 15th most visited globally. The influx of visitors contributed US$ 10.8 billion to the city's economy in 2013, the 9th highest in the world and the most of any city in the Chinese-speaking world. The National Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall is a monument, landmark and tourist attraction that was erected in memory of General Chiang Kai-shek , former President of the Republic of China . The structure stands at
3388-619: The city. Natural features include Maokong , Yangmingshan and hot springs . In English-language news reports, the name Taipei often serves as a synecdoche referring to the central government that controls the Taiwan Area . Due to the ambiguous political status of Taiwan internationally, the term Chinese Taipei is also frequently used as a synonym for the entire country, as when Taiwan's governmental representatives participate in international organizations or when Taiwan's athletes compete in international sporting events, including
3465-467: The country's major firms are based there including Acer Computers , Asus , CTBC Bank , Fubon Financial Holding , Tatung Company , D-Link , and others. 5 Global Fortune 500 companies are headquartered in Taipei. The city also attracts many multi-national corporations, international financial institutions, foreign consulates, and business organizations to set up base there. Thus, Taipei has nearly 3,500 registered foreign businesses and attracts over 50% of
3542-405: The daily temperature by 3 to 5 °C (5.4 to 9.0 °F), though temperatures rarely drop below 10 °C (50 °F). Extreme temperatures ranged from −0.2 °C (31.6 °F) on 13 February 1901 to 39.7 °C (103.5 °F) on 24 July 2020, while snow has never been recorded in the city besides on mountains located within the city limit such as Yangmingshan . Due to Taiwan's location in
3619-484: The east end of Memorial Hall Square, site of the National Concert Hall and National Theater and their adjacent parks as well as the memorial. The landmarks of Liberty Square stand within sight of Taiwan's Presidential Office Building in Taipei's Zhongzheng District . The National Taiwan Museum sits nearby in what is now 228 Peace Memorial Park and has worn its present name since 1999. The museum
3696-509: The entire line. After over half a year of testing, the additional trains will decrease the time between trains at rush hour from 2 minutes to 72 seconds and bring the total number of trains operating on the line to 152 pairs. The long-awaited Neihu line has had many delays prior to its opening. Since the Neihu line was planned as an extension to the Wenshan line, the original plan called for a similar elevated medium-capacity line. However, due to
3773-410: The first metro line to be constructed in Taipei and it is the only line without train approaching melody. Construction of the Wenshan line began in December 1988 at a cost of NT$ 42.6 billion. It was plagued by controversy, cost overruns and technical problems from its development up to a few years after its opening. Originally slated to commence passenger service in December 1991, its revenue operation
3850-466: The first skyscraper in the world to break the half-kilometer mark in height. Built to withstand typhoon winds and earthquake tremors, its design incorporates many engineering innovations and has won numerous international awards. Today, the Taipei 101 remains one of the tallest skyscrapers in the world and holds LEED 's certification as the world's largest "green" building. Its shopping mall and its indoor and outdoor observatories draws visitors from all over
3927-483: The first underground stations in the system to have platform doors. In addition to developing food facilities in the underground passage connecting the station to the airport, an "airport library" will also be opened. From 30 March 1936 until 1976, there was also a Songshan Airport station located on the now-defunct TRA Songshan Airport Line [ zh ; ja ] which was linked to Songshan Station by an intermediate station (Songshan Power Plant Station), but
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#17327868234844004-466: The greater metropolitan area has a population of 7,047,559 people. Even though the population of the city has been decreasing in recent years, the population of adjacent New Taipei has been increasing. The population loss, while rapid in its early years, was slowed by lower density development and campaigns designed to increase the birthrate in the city in the 2010s. As a result, the population rose 2010–2015. Due to Taipei's geography and location in
4081-522: The growth of the Neihu District, many residents and politicians called for an underground, high-capacity line instead (similar to the Blue line ). The initial cost estimate of the elevated line was NT$ 42.6 billion, but due to delays the price-adjusted cost estimate rose to over NT$ 60.3 billion. A shift to underground construction would have increased the cost to as high as NT$ 134.4 billion. However,
4158-562: The highest (dormant) volcano in Taiwan in Yangmingshan National Park . The northern districts of Shilin and Beitou extend north of the Keelung River and are bordered by Yangmingshan National Park. The Taipei city limits cover an area of 271.7997 km (104.9425 sq mi), ranking sixteenth of twenty-five among all counties and cities in Taiwan . Two peaks, Qixing Mountain and Mt. Datun, rise to
4235-603: The home of Taipei 101 , a prime tourist attraction. Malls in the area include the sprawling Shin Kong Mitsukoshi complex, Breeze Center, Bellavita, Taipei 101 mall, Eslite Bookstore 's flagship store (which includes a boutique mall), The Living Mall, ATT shopping mall, and the Vieshow Cinemas (formerly known as Warner Village). The Xinyi district also serves as the center of Taipei's active nightlife, with several popular lounge bars and nightclubs concentrated in
4312-525: The island. The city is served by two airports – Songshan and Taoyuan . The municipality is home to architectural and cultural landmarks, including Taipei 101 (which was formerly the tallest building in the world), Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall , Dalongdong Baoan Temple , Hsing Tian Kong , Lungshan Temple of Manka , National Palace Museum , Presidential Office Building , Taipei Guest House and Zhinan Temple . Shopping districts including Ximending as well as several night markets dispersed throughout
4389-506: The line transports an average of approximately 140,000 passengers daily. The Wenshan section began revenue service on 28 March 1996, as the Muzha line. The Neihu section began revenue service on 4 July 2009. The Wenhu line was then named the Muzha–Neihu line, colloquially shortened as the Zhahu line, until 8 October 2009, when it adopted the current name, short for Wenshan-Neihu line. This was
4466-498: The line would continue despite the walkout in the now-popular catchphrase "馬特拉不拉，我們自己拉" ( lit : If Matra doesn't pull, we'd pull it ourselves). After a 12-year-long legal tussle, in 2005, Matra was awarded NT$ 1.6 billion (approx. US$ 50 million) in damages by the Supreme Court of the Republic of China . Services on the Wenshan line began with two-car operation of the VAL 256 coupled together. Eventually, increasing patronage on
4543-476: The national seat of the ROC central government since 1949, it became the nation's special municipality (then known as Yuan-controlled municipality) on 1 July 1967 from provincial city status. Taipei is the economic , political , educational and cultural center of Taiwan. It has been rated an "Alpha − City" by GaWC . Taipei also forms a major part of a high-tech industrial area. Railways , highways , airports and bus lines connect Taipei with all parts of
4620-492: The northeast of the city. Qixing Mountain is located on the Tatun Volcanic Group ; its 1,120 m (3,670 ft)-high main peak renders it the tallest mountain at the rim of the Taipei Basin; 1,092 m (3,583 ft)-high Mt. Datun is a close runner up. These former volcanoes make up the western section of Yangmingshan National Park, extending from Mt. Datun northward to Mt. Caigongkeng ( 菜公坑山 ). Located on
4697-419: The northeasterly winds from the vast Siberian High being intensified by the pooling of this cooler air in the Taipei Basin. As in the rest of Northern Taiwan, daytime temperatures of Taipei can often peak above 26 °C (79 °F) during a warm winter day, while they can dip below that same level during afternoon showers and thunderstorms in the summer. Occasional cold fronts during the winter months can drop
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#17327868234844774-708: The political center of the Japanese Colonial Government. During that time the city acquired the characteristics of an administrative center, including many new public buildings and housing for civil servants . Much of the architecture of Taipei dates from the period of Japanese rule , including the Presidential Office Building which was the Office of the Governor-General of Taiwan . During Japanese rule, Taihoku
4851-440: The population continued to increase in the region surrounding the city, notably along the corridor between Taipei and Keelung . In 1990, Taipei's 16 districts were consolidated into the current 12 districts. Mass democracy rallies that year in the plaza around Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall led to an island-wide transition to multi-party democracy , where legislators are chosen via regularly scheduled popular elections, during
4928-406: The population increased to 1.56 million people. The city's population, which had reached one million in the early 1960s, also expanded rapidly after 1967, exceeding two million by the mid-1970s. Although growth within the city itself gradually slowed thereafter — its population had become relatively stable by the mid-1990s – Taipei remained one of the world's most densely populated urban areas, and
5005-486: The presidency of Lee Teng-Hui . Taipei City is located in the Taipei Basin in northern Taiwan . It is bordered by the Xindian River on the south and the Tamsui River on the west. The generally low-lying terrain of the central areas on the western side of the municipality slopes upward to the south and east and especially to the north, where it reaches the 1,120 m (3,670 ft)-tall Qixing Mountain ,
5082-429: The route. The addition of the station added an additional 1.9 kilometres (1.2 mi) to the line's length. Because of the inclusion of the station, the final cost of the line reached NT$ 66.7 billion. The line was initially planned to begin service in 1996, and after 13 years of delay, the line finally began operations. However, the Neihu line has been criticised for its frequent malfunctions and safety issues. The line
5159-463: The system led to operation in four-car configurations. The opening of Maokong Gondola in 2007 have also boosted passenger numbers travelling on the line to Taipei Zoo for transfer. The Wenshan line is connected to the Neihu Line, which opened in July 2009. It connects to Neihu and Taipei Songshan Airport , which currently has no rapid transit access. Since an alternative contractor Bombardier
5236-639: The total foreign investment in Taiwan. Foreign companies with offices or regional headquarters in Taipei include Google , Microsoft , IBM , Intel , HSBC , Citibank , Facebook , Amazon , Apple , JP Morgan , PwC , and many others. Most financial and foreign firms like to reside in the central business district of Taipei, the Xinyi Special District : Citi, JP Morgan, DBS Bank, Cathay Life Insurance, Shin Kong Commercial Bank, and Hua Nan Bank have all established skyscrapers in
5313-538: The two most recognizable public buildings in Taiwan during its period of Japanese rule . The National Palace Museum is a vast art gallery and museum built around a permanent collection centered on ancient Chinese artifacts . It should not be confused with the Palace Museum in Beijing (which it is named after); both institutions trace their origins to the same institution. The collections were divided in
5390-416: The whole metropolitan area or just the municipality alone. Taipei has been the political center of the island since 1887, when it first became the seat of Taiwan Province by the Qing dynasty until 1895 and again from 1945 to 1956 by the Republic of China (ROC) government , with an interregnum from 1895 to 1945 as the seat of the Government-General of Taiwan during the Japanese rule . The city has been
5467-440: The world. Taipei 101's New Year's Eve fireworks display is a regular feature of international broadcasts. The National Theater and Concert Hall stand at Taipei's Liberty Square and host events by foreign and domestic performers. Other leading concert venues include Zhongshan Hall at Ximending and the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall near Taipei 101 . A new venue, the Taipei Performing Arts Center opened in 2022. The venue
5544-479: Was awarded to supply the rolling stock and the signaling system for the new line, the Wenshan line's signaling system was converted to suit the new communications-based train control (CBTC) CITYFLO 650 to allow both the old Matra rolling stock and the new Bombardier rolling stock to run in co-existence. On 19 December 2010, fifty-one pairs of retrofitted VAL 256 's (from the Matra rolling stock) will begin testing on
5621-517: Was incorporated in 1920 as part of Taihoku Prefecture . It included Bangka , Twatutia , and Jōnai ( 城內 ) among other small settlements. The eastern village of Matsuyama ( 松山庄 , modern-day Songshan District, Taipei ) was annexed into Taihoku City in 1938. Taihoku and surrounding areas were bombed by Allied forces on several occasions. The largest of these Allied air raids, the Taihoku Air Raid , took place on 31 May 1945. Upon
5698-483: Was known as Taihoku , which is the pronunciation of the Chinese characters ( Kanji : 台北 ) for Taipei in Japanese. Prior to the significant influx of Han Chinese colonists, the region of Taipei Basin was mainly inhabited by the plains aborigines called Ketagalan . The number of Han colonists gradually increased in the early 18th century under Qing Dynasty rule after the government began permitting development in
5775-437: Was operated by the 2-car driverless VAL 256 built in 1993. A total of 102 cars were built with a maximum capacity of 114 passengers each. The fleet ran on rubber-tyred track at a maximum speed of 80 kilometres per hour (50 mph). With the opening of the Neihu line, the entire line switched over to the new automatic train control CITYFLO 650 using INNOVIA APM 256 trains (produced by Bombardier, internally code-named C370 by
5852-474: Was part of Tamsui County of Taipeh Prefecture and the prefectural capital. In 1885, as work commenced to govern the island as a province, Taipeh was thus temporarily designated as a provincial capital. The city officially became the capital in 1894. Nowadays, all that remains from the historical period is the north gate. The west gate and city walls were demolished by the Japanese while the south gate, little south gate, and east gate were extensively modified by
5929-424: Was repeatedly delayed up to 28 March 1996 owing to numerous accidents. Public confidence was shaken as incidents of lightning strikes, computer failures, two instances of rolling stock derailment and catching fire each were reported during the testing phase. In 1999, cracks were found on the elevated pillars forcing the line to shut down temporarily. One of the largest suppliers for the system, Matra , which supplied
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