Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall

The hall

A white hall with a blue octagonal roof opened in 1980

The Memorial Hall is white with four sides. Its roof is blue and octagonal, picking up the symbolism of the number eight. Two sets of white stairs, each with 89 steps, lead to the main entrance. The hall opened on April 5, 1980.

89steps on each of the two white stairs

The design

Yang Cho-cheng won a competition to design the memorial

The design by architect Yang Cho-cheng was chosen in a competition. It used elements of traditional Chinese architecture to mirror the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum in Nanjing. Groundbreaking was on October 31, 1976, the 90th anniversary of Chiang's birth.

The square

The square became the site of the Wild Lily rallies of 1990

The square became Taipei's site of choice for mass gatherings as soon as it opened. The most influential pro-democracy demonstrations were the Wild Lily student movement rallies of 1990, which led to reforms and the first popular elections of national leaders in 1996.

Two names

The plaza became Liberty Square in 2007 and the hall kept Chiang's name

President Chen Shui-bian rededicated the plaza as Liberty Square in 2007. The original dedication to Chiang was later restored to the hall by President Ma Ying-jeou, while the name Liberty Square was affirmed by officials across party lines.

2017

In 2017 plans were announced to turn the hall toward history

In 2017, on the 70th anniversary of the February 28 Incident and the 30th anniversary of the lifting of martial law, Taiwan's Ministry of Culture announced plans to transform the hall. The site also incorporates remembrance of the martial law period.