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Click the picture above to go to a special page dedicated to Taipei 101,
Taipei's and the world's tallest building.


Above: three panoramic views of Taipei. The first one was taken from the Far Eastern Plaza hotel;
the second one is also from the Far Eastern Plaza hotel, but towards a different section of town.
The last one was taken from the observatory of Shin Kong Life Tower.

Taipei is the capital and largest city of Taiwan. The city has over 2,5 million inhabitants,
and including the suburbs and metro cities, the city is home to almost 5 million people.
The city is surrounded by hills and through the city three rivers run:
in the north Keelung River, in the west Tamsui River, and in the east Hsintien River,
although this last river might be considered the city border of Taipei and suburbs/metro cities,
like Yungho and Chungho City. Centuries ago, the area where the city lies now was a large lake.
Over centuries, the lake dried up and became an area with swamps and grassy lowlands.
At the end of the 18th century people started to migrate to this area and this in fact was the beginning
of the growth of Taipei as a city. At the end of the 19th century Taipei became the administrative, cultural
and economic center of Taiwan, which it has remained to be until this day, more than 100 years later.
Taipei (meaning 'North Taiwan') is now home to the world's tallest skyscraper, TAIPEI 101
(although it will lose this title again in 2008/2009, when Dubai's Burj Dubai will be topped out).
Besides this skyscraper, the city only has one other major high-rise, Shin Kong Life Tower (245m/803f).
Then the city has a few other buildings that are taller than 150m/500f, but not as many as you
would expect from a city of this size. It does have though many hundreds, if not thousand, buildings
with 12 - 18 floors of height.




Above: nine shots of Taipei's 2nd tallest: Shin Kong Life Tower (245m/803f, 51 stories, 1993).
The building was Taiwan's tallest from 1993 until 1997, when Kaohsiung's Tuntex Sky Tower took over.
It remained Taipei's tallest until late 2003, when Taipei 101 was officially topped out.
The building used to have an observatory on the 46th floor until 2006.
The observatory gave good views over Taipei and its surroundings,
but was closed down because its popularity was waning because of the Taipei 101 observatory.
The first twelve floors of the building are in use by a large department store (Shin Kong Mitsukoshi),
the rest is in use as office space.




Above: Taipei Metro (165m/541f, 41 stories, 1994). The complex consists of two towers.
One an office tower and the other being an hotel one (with 422 guest rooms).
The hotel is one of the most exquisite hotels in Taipei, the 5-star Far Eastern Plaza Hotel.
The complex is also known as Far Eastern Plaza, towers I (office) and II (hotel).
The complex was designed by C.Y. Lee, the same architect that is responsible
for the design of Taiwan's two tallest towers: Taipei 101 and Tuntex Sky Tower.


Above: the city's 5th tallest: President Enterprise Corporation Tower (154m/505f, 30 stories, 2004).
The office tower has a (private) swimming pool on top of the top floor.


Above: technically speaking these buildings do not belong to Taipei.
They can be found in Chungho, a metro city adjacent to Taipei in the southeast.
On the pictures are the three towers that make up the Tuntex Highrise Building complex.
The tallest is 153m/503f and has 41 stories. The two smaller towers on the side have 33 floors,
but no height is known. From a distance this complex looks very impressive, but the closer one gets
the mediocre the complex turns out to be. It's a residential complex, with some office
and shopping space on the first few floors.


Above left: this complex can be found in Chungho as well, just next to Tuntex Highrise Building:
Sky City (height unknown, 34 stories, 1995) Towers I, II and III.
The complex consist of three towers, two of them connected to each other by two skybridges.
Above middle: International Trade Building (143m/468f, 34 stories, 1990).
The building is part of the World Trade Center of Taipei.
Above right: Tunnar Tower, also known as Tuntex Tower (143m/470f, 38 stories, 1990).


Above left: another picture of International Trade Building (143m/468f, 34 stories, 1990).
Above middle left and middle: side and front view of Continental Engineering Corporation (CEC) Tower
(140m/459f, 31 stories, 199?); the building is a neighbour of Tunnar Tower.
Above middle right: another Chungho high-rise, the residential Shuangyan Highrise Building.
On this picture the building appears to be one tower, but in fact it is two.
The building consists of two separate towers connected by a large podium, and two separate entrances.
Not much info is available, but it has 30 stories. One tower is in use as an office tower,
and the other one is a residential one.
Above right: Tai Power Building (127m/418f, 27 stories, unknown).


Above left: Fubon Banking Center (125m/409f, 24 stories, 1995).
Above right: Cathay Life Insurance Building (no height known, 26 stories, unknown).
The building is about 120 metres tall (395f).


Above left: Chinese Petroleum Building (no height known, 23 stories, 2002).
Above middle and middle right: Grand Hyatt Taipei Hotel (no height known, 26 stories, 1989).
It's the largest hotel of Taipei with over 850 guest rooms.
Above right: Cathay Financial Center (no height known, 26 stories, unknown).


Above: China Trust Group Tower (no height known, 22 stories, unknown).
Above right: a residential twin tower (no height known, 25 stories, 2005),
constructed at the same time that Taipei 101 was built, and situated very close to the tower.
Unfortunately, no English name is available for this complex.


Above: Core Pacific City, a large (12 stories) shopping mall (2001).


Above left: view from Shin Kong Life Tower of Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Park,
with CKS Memorial Hall, the National Concert Hall and the National Theatre.
In the Concert Hall and National Theatre, many important cultural events take place.
They are the centres for the performing arts in Taiwan. Over 800 performances are held in them each year,
with a visitors total of over half a million people.
The two buildings are designed in traditional Chinese architecture.
Above middle: The National Theatre. It has a total capacity of 1,522 people.
Above right: The National Concert Hall. It has a capacity of 2,070 people.


Above: the impressive Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial.
It was constructed in memory of the former president of R.O.C., Chiang Kai-Shek.
The design is based upon the pyramids in Egypt and Tientam in Beijing.
The building was built in white marble, while the roof is decorated with deep-blue glass.
Inside the complex is a bronze statue of Chiang Kai-Shek,
and a museum devoted to his achievements.
The memorial was opened in 1980, five years after the death of Chiang Kai-Shek (1887-1975).
The building is 76 metres tall (250 feet).


Above: 2-28 Peace Park, seen from Shin Kong Life Tower.
This is a cozy little park in commemoration of a military crackdown that occurred
on February 28, 1947, in which several people were killed.


Click here to go to a page dedicated to Taipei 101


Taipei's 10 tallest skyscrapers:
1. TAIPEI 101 509m/1,671f, 101 stories, 2004
2. SHIN KONG LIFE TOWER 245m/803f, 51 stories, 1993
3. TAIPEI METRO, OFFICE TOWER 165m/541f, 41 stories, 1994
4. TAIPEI METRO, FAR EASTERN PLAZA HOTEL TOWER 165m/541f, 43 stories, 1994
5. PRESIDENT ENTERPRISE CORPORATION TOWER 154m/505f, 30 stories, 2004
6. TUNTEX HIGHRISE BUILDING 153m/503f, 41 stories, unknown
7. TUNNAR TOWER 143m/470f, 38 stories, 1990
8. INTERNATIONAL TRADE BUILDING 143m/468f, 34 stories, 1990
9. CONTINENTAL ENGINEERING CORPORATION TOWER 140m/459f, 31 stories, 199?
10. TAI POWER BUILDING 127m/418f, 27 stories, unknown

The building data, the top 10 of tallest buildings and some of the building information are courtesy of
EMPORIS.COM, one of the world's leading architectural resources on tall buildings.

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