National Revolutionary Martyrs Shrine

The National Revolutionary Martyrs’ Shrine was built in 1969 to commemorate the loss of almost 400,000 Taiwanese soldiers who lost their lives in several wars during the 20th century.

The memorial archway gate is guarded throughout the day by two military personnel who, much like the guards at the Chiang Kai-shek and Sun Yat-sen Memorial Halls, will stand motionless and expressionless for their full hour on duty. Every hour on the hour, from 09:00 until 17:00, the Changing of the Guard ceremony will take place and consists of an impressive feat of controlled and synchronised body and rifle movements.

The arch marks the entrance to a huge 54-acre site featuring a large open area with gardens. At the other end of the site is the palace, which houses the spirit tablets of the 400,000 soldiers killed.