Sights in Taipei

Taipei has a few gay sights in the narrower sense, mainly because the city has a long queer history. The most famous example is the 228 Peace Park in the center, formerly called New Park. For decades, it was one of the most important meeting places for gay men at a time when queer life had to remain hidden. The park became famous through Pai Hsien-yung's novel Crystal Boys, which is set there and is still considered a key work of Taiwanese queer literature. Today, the park is a quiet place on the edge of the city center and easily accessible by metro.

Today's heart of the scene is the Red House in Ximending, a red brick building from the colonial era, behind which the gay bars gather. The highlight of the queer calendar is Taipei Pride, which attracts hundreds of thousands of people through the city every October and is considered the largest Pride in East Asia. As early as 2019, Taiwan became the first country on the continent to introduce same-sex marriage, a move that has further shaped the already open mood. Around it, queer stations can be easily combined with the classic highlights, such as the Longshan Temple, the Taipei 101 Observation Tower or the night markets. The following places will take you to the stations that are worth visiting.