Taipei’s grandest surviving city gate, completed in 1884 as the main south gate of the Qing-era walled city. Formally named Lizhengmen — the ‘(Main) Gate of Beauty’ — it now sits on a busy traffic circle in Zhongzheng, pairing beautifully with the Nanhai Road museum cluster and an easy historic-core walking day.
Taipei’s grandest surviving city gate, completed in 1884 as the main south gate of the Qing-era walled city. Formally named Lizhengmen — the ‘(Main) Gate of Beauty’ — it now sits on a busy traffic circle in Zhongzheng, pairing beautifully with the Nanhai Road museum cluster and an easy historic-core walking day.
Updated June 20, 2026
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A few good pairings within easy reach of this spot.
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Highlights亮點South Gate is a great example of ‘Taipei’s history in the middle of the city.’ It isn’t a large complex — you’re here for the landmark feeling, the stonework and the way it anchors nearby cultural stops. As the main southern gate of the Qing-era walled city, completed in 1884, it carried the most stately façade of all the gates, and that sense of ceremony still reads today even as traffic streams around it.
The biggest practical advantage is location: it’s close to several museums and the botanical garden, so you can build a satisfying day with minimal transit.
Taipei’s city walls were built between 1879 and 1884 during Qing rule, with five gates: the East Gate (Jingfu), West Gate (Baocheng), South Gate (Lizheng), Auxiliary South Gate (Chongxi) and North Gate (Cheng’en). The South Gate’s formal name, Lizhengmen (麗正門), translates roughly as the ‘(Main) Gate of Beauty,’ and it was built with finely worked stone, including a distinctive hornless-dragon (chilong) motif.
The walls themselves were largely demolished during the early Japanese colonial era, leaving the gates as the main survivors. After Taiwan’s 1945 handover to the Republic of China, the East, South and Auxiliary South Gates were rebuilt — but the Nationalist-era restoration recast the South Gate in a northern Chinese palatial style, changing its silhouette while preserving the masonry foundation and the round opening in the wall. The North Gate is the only one that keeps its original appearance.
Pick one museum as your anchor, then use the gate and a short garden walk as your pacing tool. This keeps the day varied and prevents museum fatigue. The South Gate, the Nanhai Road museums and the Taipei Botanical Garden are all within an easy stroll of one another.
This part of Taipei is easiest when you plan for weather: Taipei summers are hot, and the museum cluster is your friend for midday air-conditioning. Because the gate is a quick exterior stop, it slots in neatly around indoor museum time.
Quick answers to common planning questions.
Official pages and references for planning details.
Hand-picked next reads to make your Taipei plan smoother.
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Taiwan’s first public museum founded after 1949, reopened in February 2024 after a five-year renovation—a Ming/Qing palace-style building beside the Taipei Botanical Garden. Ideal for a focused cultural stop on a Zhongzheng ‘museums + greenery’ day.
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Taiwan’s first botanical garden, established in 1896 and renamed in 1921—an 8.2-hectare green escape near the old city with 2,000-plus plant species, a famous lotus pond, and heritage buildings dating back to the 19th century. The kind of quiet that makes the rest of Taipei feel sharper.
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Founded in 1957 and set within the Taipei Botanical Garden district on Nanhai Road, this Ministry of Education arts venue hosts exhibitions, performances, and a children’s art zone. Use it as a flexible, low-key ‘culture stop’ alongside museums, cafés, and a calm Zhongzheng afternoon.
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A walking-first guide to Taipei’s city-gate landmarks—link North Gate, East Gate, South Gate, and Xiaonanmen into a single loop with museum and café add-ons.
Read more →Start with a simple loop: one neighborhood stroll, one iconic sight, and one night market. Taipei rewards balance.
Tip: hours, prices, and seasonal schedules can change. When something matters (like a museum ticket or a special exhibition), check the official listing before you go.