Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall
Being there
Constructed in the memory of Dr. Sun Yat-sen who is the founding father of the Republic of China. The construction of the Memorial commenced in 1965 in conjunction with the 100th anniversary of Sun Yat-sen's birth. It was opened on 16 May 1972, with the majestic architecture and placid landscape covering an area of some 115,500 m². The park named Zhongshan Park marks the front yard of the Hall. On the inside, there is a 19-foot bronze statue of Dr. Sun Yat-sen, watched over during the day by motionless military honor guards, along with a library of 400 seats storing over 1.4 million books. A changing of the guard ceremony is conducted every hour on the hour from 09:00 to 17:00, with a rifle twirling performance. The 100-m long Zhongshan corridor links the main hall to the four large exhibition buildings where contemporary arts and historical articles are frequently on display. The Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall has grown into much of a community center, and is much less touristy than the newer and larger Chiang Kai-shek Memorial. There is an auditorium which has weekly lectures and seminars on aspects of art and life. It is also a popular site for public concerts.
The story
The National Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall (Chinese: 國立國父紀念館) is located in Xinyi District, Taipei, Taiwan. It is a memorial to the Republic of China's National Father, Dr. Sun Yat-sen, and was completed in 1972. The total building area covers 29,464 square metres (7.3 acres) in an open space of 115,000 square metres (28.4 acres). It contains displays of Sun's life and the revolution he led, and is also a multi-purpose social, educational and cultural center for the public. It has sometimes been likened as a Taiwanese analogue to the Lincoln Memorial in the United States.
The hall has been closed for renovations since February 26, 2024, with an expected reopening in late 2026.