Anping Tree House is a truly fascinating spectacle, an abandoned warehouse that has been slowly swallowed by massive banyan trees. Step inside to see how their aerial roots and trunks have taken over walls, windows and rooms.
The old brick building originally served as warehouse for Tait & Company, a foreign trading firm. For many years it lay abandoned and after the company moved out, nature moved in. Locals used to avoid the building, because according to Taiwanese folklore, the aerial roots of a banyan tree are associated with negative energies. However, today it is a popular attraction where you can see nature reclaiming the structure.
Some visitors describe the Anping Tree House as something out of a fairytale. Wander through the crumbling remains of the warehouse’s rooms. Observe where branches and roots have penetrated concrete walls. Some walls are difficult to see because they are entirely covered by tree parts. In one of the rooms, find a small exhibition about the local flora.
Look up through the collapsed roof to see the tall trees towering over the building. Even though the roof is open, the warehouse feels gloomy, because it isn’t easy for sunlight to get through. Walk up to the elevated viewing platforms situated among the trees from where you can look down on the warehouse.
After your visit, go next door to the Tait & Company Merchant House. The 19th-century colonial-style home is now a small museum. There is an exhibition on early settlers and colonizers on the first floor and lots of wax figures on the second floor. Also on the grounds is the house of calligraphist Chu, Jeou-Yin, which features an exhibition of Chinese calligraphy.
Anping Tree House is situated in the northern part of Tainan City, a short walk from Anping Fort. The tree house is open daily and the admission price includes entry to both the Merchant House and the calligraphy exhibition.
