Taichung cultural bureau moves into century-old government hall as lawmakers call for historic district linkup

The century-old Taichung Prefecture Hall is once again being used as a government office, with Taichung’s Cultural Affairs Bureau now operating inside the restored historic building.

The nationally designated monument was completed 113 years ago. After six years of restoration and adaptive-reuse work, the bureau has moved in, returning the building to official use. More than 190 employees began working there on Monday, according to Cultural Affairs Bureau Director Chen Chia-chun.

The hall dates to 1920, during the Japanese colonial period, when Taiwan’s government reorganized its administrative system into five prefectures. It served as the highest administrative office for Taichung Prefecture. After World War II, it became the former Taichung City Government offices, and the city began a two-phase restoration and reuse project in 2020 after the government moved elsewhere.

Chen said protecting the building is a required lesson for every bureau employee. She said the October opening ceremony would invite the public inside to learn about the hall’s changing role across a century of administrative history.

Democratic Progressive Party city councilor Chiang Chao-kuo criticized the nearly NT$700 million restoration cost, saying the project should do more than solve the city government’s office-rent problem. He called for the hall to be linked with the nearby Taichung City Office, Taiwan Prefectural Examination Hall and Datun District Office historic building, as well as Taichung Second Market and the Liuchuan waterfront promenade, to create a historic architectural district in the city’s central and western areas.

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Protecting the Prefecture Hall is a required lesson for every Cultural Affairs Bureau colleague.