National Palace Museum
The National Palace Museum houses the world's largest collection of Chinese art and crafts. Spanning over China's nearly 5,000 year history and accumulated over a thousand years since the early Sung dynasty by Chinese emperors and royal families, the museum collection include ceramics, porcelain, calligraphy, painting and ritual bronzes, jade, lacquer wares, curio cabinets, enamel wares, writing accessories, carvings, embroidery and rare books. The quality of its collections remains the best of the best in the field of Chinese Art. Only the best items from the imperial collection are preserved in Taiwan. Even so, the treasure is still far too large to display completely at one time. While many popular pieces remain on permanent display, much of the collection is regularly rotated making each visit unique. The National Palace Museum is one of the most important museums and significant research institutions in the world. It is a "must-see" for foreign visitors.
Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall
The Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, built in 1980, along with the Shin Kong Life Tower is one of the most prominent buildings in the Jungjeng District of Taipei. It is the island's most impressive monument to the great Chinese hero, the late President Chiang Kai-shek. The memorial hall's enormous marble edifice towers rise over landscaped gardens, graceful pavilions and placid ponds. A 25-ton bronze statue of the late president stands solemnly in the middle of the monument and looks out over the city from the main building. On the first floor is the Jungjeng Arts Gallery that not only displays documents of the Chinese revolution and war but also features, from time to time, exhibitions of cultural art. An elegant Ming-style arch at the main entrance is flanked by two classical-style buildings: the National Theater and the National Concert Hall. The square between the two buildings is a popular gathering place on special festive days such as the Taipei Lantern Festival which held at the end of the Chinese New Year season.
Snake Alley (Huashi Jie)
It is a busy alley, fronted by a traditional Chinese-style fate and covered with a roof. This is Huashi Street, (pronounced Huashi Jie), formally known as Snake Alley, a popular spot turned into a tourist night-market by the city government over a decade ago.
Until just a few years back this was next door to a notorious red-light district, but the pimp 'n' hooker trade has been severely toned down. There are a few places here where you can eat snake, snake-blood-and-bile soup, turtle meat and soup, and other potent dishes. Try to visit Snake Alley at night, when the action picks up. Allow for about 1-2 hours of visit.
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