There is no way of missing the minimalist Crystal Church near Beimen Visitor Center. Its exterior combines the flowing curves of the Sydney Opera House and the pristine clarity of the wedding chapel on Guam. Sparkling crystals are set into the white steel ribs rising from the shallow waters of the salt field. The way they reflect the light of the sun and the ripples in the water form a fantastic shrine to love and the dream wedding chapel for countless couples.
Wu Jin-Huai was one of the greatest musicians of his generation and made a tremendous contribution to Taiwanese folk music. He composed more than 200 songs throughout his career. Many of the songs such as “Romance of Guanziling”, “Dim Moon”, “Thinking of You”, “Marrying the Wrong Person”, “Don’t Miss You” are still being covered by younger generations of singers. His former home has now been converted into the “Wu Jin-Huai Memorial Hall” with a permanent exhibition of his hand-written music scores, guitar and other relics. Commemorative concerts are also held here.
The outdoor art park next to a branch of the Chianan Canal was based on the concept of “the city as an art gallery.” The open space encourages more interaction between people and the arts. There are a number of elementary, junior and senior high schools near the park. Such a high concentration of schools have made the park an important venue for the development of art education in the Xinying District. Artist “No2Good” is famed for his "figure” designs.
Construction of the Xinying Cultural Center commenced in 1983. It was refurbished in 2016 and now offers brand new spaces for providing high-quality art and cultural services. The highlight of the center is its performance hall that seats up to 846 people featuring a Proscenium-arch stage and the full range of stage equipment. It is now not only the most important performance venue in Tainan City but also the main stage for the whole of the Yunlin-Chiayi-Tainan region.
This multi-purpose leisure venue combines a white church, kaiseki cuisine restaurant and pudding workshop. The white church stands out the most as white is the dominant palette of its exterior and interior furnishings. The windmill, wooden hammock, white wooden horse and pavilion scattered around the church give it a unique atmosphere as well.
The Ark Church at Galilee Missions Center was built using drift wood from Typhoon Morakot. The design is laden with symbolic value. The sculptures of Jesus the shepherd and cute animals on the lawn is like a scene from the biblical story of Noah’s Ark. The church sits behind the wall of drift wood. The trail leading up the hill is like a gallery of biblical stories and leads to a small, serene prayer room. There is also a lake surrounded by green forest with spectacular sunset views.
Hucuoliao Painted Village is also known as “Grandma’s Wall Painting.” Three grand-daughters feared that their elderly grandmother would feel lonely living by herself in plain old house so they painted play characters on the wall. They hoped that the bright colors would enliven their grandmother’s day. What started out as drawings on a white wall soon won the support of the entire community. Hucuo Painted Village is a heart-warming story of community building at its best, making it a great place to check-in.
Shinguang Village in the Guanmiao District of Tainan City was once an ordinary old village. Eye-catching wall paintings by illustrators now line the 400m length of Beiliao Old Street and have breathed new life into an old farming community. The colorful paintings tend towards realism and a country style. They include detailed landscapes, black & white inkwash paintings, realist characters, and animal illustrations. There are also paintings depicting temple parades and markets as well as everyday scenes that complement the local ambiance.
Yangcheng Library looks like a crystal made up of stacked books symbolizing knowledge in a nod to its role and local background. The library will have a collection of 100,000 books including children’s books, fiction, sports and health. Audio-visual materials will also be available for the general public to borrow. Once complete, it will hopefully become the learning and lifestyle hub of the South District.
Yongkang Social Education Center covers over 700m2 and is one of the few town-level public facilities in Taiwan to integrate a large performing space, public library and classrooms. The Center provides the general public with a venue for reading, art & cultural exchanges, recreation and lifelong learning. It is also used to display local cultural relics as well, making it an important cultural education institution and community center in the Yongkang district.