Travel/POI: Kaohsiung - 85 Sky Tower, Kaohsiung Music Center, Pier-2 Art Center (高雄85大樓, 高雄流行音樂中心, 駁二藝術特區), Taiwan

Kaohsiung is located in the southern part of Taiwan. It is the second-largest city and the largest port city in the country. Some people compare the two cities—Taipei, known as the "Kingdom of the Heavenly Dragon," and Kaohsiung, the "Kingdom of the Earthly Tiger"—to illustrate the north-south rivalry in Taiwan.

I was born in Taipei and seldom had the opportunity to visit the south, including Kaohsiung, while I lived in Taiwan. In April 2023, however, I had the chance to spend a few days exploring Kaohsiung. Here, I’ll briefly share my experiences and impressions of the city.

Let’s start with the origin of Kaohsiung’s name. According to Japanese anthropologist Inō Kanori, the coastal area of present-day Kaohsiung was originally inhabited by the Makatao people, an indigenous group in Taiwan. They called the forest of prickly bamboo—used to defend against pirates—"takau." This name was transliterated into Chinese as "打狗" (meaning "beaten dog"). During the Japanese colonial period, the name was changed to "高雄", and after World War II, the Republic of China government adopted the Wade-Giles romanization, officially naming the city Kaohsiung.

In 2010, Kaohsiung City and Kaohsiung County were merged and reorganized into what is now known as Greater Kaohsiung, a region with great potential and competitiveness in southern Taiwan. Today, Kaohsiung comprises 38 administrative districts, grouped by historical and geographical areas:

Former Kaohsiung City (e.g., Nanzi, Zuoying, Gushan, Sanmin, Yancheng, Qianjin, Xinxing, Lingya, Qianzhen, Qijin, and Xiaogang) – the most prosperous and densely populated area.
Former Fengshan District (e.g., Fengshan, Daliao, Josong, Linyuan, Renwu, Dashu, and Dashe) – known for its well-preserved ecological environment.
Former Gangshan District (e.g., Gangshan, Luzhu, Qiaotou, Ziguan, Mituo, Yong'an, Yanchao, Tianliao, Alian, Jiaotou, and Hunei) – an important hub for the sugar industry and a center for traditional shadow puppetry.
Former Qishan District (e.g., Qishan, Meinong, Neimen, Shoujin, Jiaxian, Liugui, Maolin, Taoyuan, and Namaxia) – home to many indigenous and Hakka communities.

This time, we mainly explored the city center of Kaohsiung. The two intersecting MRT lines, along with the circular light rail, made getting around very convenient. Due to the hot weather, we only visited a few places. We took the LRT from Gushan Station to Dayi Pier-2 Station. Along the way, we saw various public artworks—murals on building walls, sculptures along the streets—transforming ordinary roads into vibrant tourist attractions.

Several iconic landmarks of Kaohsiung also came into view, including the 85 Sky Tower, Kaohsiung Music Center, and the Great Harbor Bridge.

高雄位於台灣南部，是台灣第二大城市和最大港口城市。有人將台北與高雄這兩個城市──「天龍國」(臺北)與「地虎國」(高雄)──來比喻這兩個南北相抗衡的地方。

我出生在台北，在台灣生活期間很少有機會去南部或是高雄玩。不過，2023 年 4 月恰巧有機會能在高雄玩幾天。在這裡，我想簡單分享我對這座城市的體驗和印象。

我們先從高雄名字的由來說起。根據日本人類學家伊能嘉矩（Inō Kanori）的考證，高雄沿海早期主要為臺灣原住民族馬卡道族 (Makatao) 居住的地方。他們把這片用來抵禦海盜的刺竹林稱為「打狗」（takau）。這個名字後來音譯為中文「打狗」。日治時期，高雄更名為「高雄」。二戰結束後，中華民國政府採用威妥瑪拼寫法，正式將這座城市命名為高雄。

2010 年，高雄市與高雄縣合併改制，成為南臺灣具潛力與競爭力的大高雄市。如今，高雄市由 38 個行政區組成，依歷史和地理區域劃分：

前高雄市（楠梓區、左營區、鼓山區、三民區、鹽埕區、前金區、新興區、苓雅區、前鎮區、旗津區、小港區）是最繁華且人口集中最多的區域
前鳳山分區（鳳山區、大寮區、鳥松區、林園區、仁武區、大樹區、大社區）是保有最完善的自然生態地區
前岡山分區 (岡山區、路竹區、橋頭區、梓官區、彌陀區、永安區、燕巢區、田寮區、阿蓮區、茄萣區、湖內區）是重要的糖業重鎮，也是皮影戲繁華之地
前旗山分區 (旗山區、美濃區、內門區、杉林區、甲仙區、六龜區、茂林區、桃源區、那瑪夏區）是原住民族及客家族群的聚集地

我們這次主要在高雄市區遊玩，十字型的兩條捷運再加上環狀輕軌，交通方便。由於天氣炎熱，我們只點到似的參觀了幾個地方。我們坐輕軌從鼓山站到駁二大義站。一路上可看到各種公共藝術作品——建築牆面壁畫、街道兩旁的雕塑——一條平平凡凡的街道被點綴成多彩多姿的觀光打卡點。

高雄的幾個地標也映入眼簾，包括 85 大樓、高雄流行音樂中心和大港橋。

85 Sky Tower 高雄 85 大樓

85 Sky Tower, formerly known as the Tuntex Sky Tower and TC Tower, is the second-tallest skyscraper in Taiwan (after Taipei 101) and the tallest building in Kaohsiung. The 75th floor once housed the highest observation deck in southern Taiwan, offering stunning views of Kaohsiung’s seascape and cityscape. Unfortunately, according to the Tourism Information Website of the Tourism Bureau, MOTC, the Sky Tower is currently closed from the 37th to the 85th floors due to renovation.

高雄 85 大樓, 前稱東帝士85國際廣場、東帝士建台大樓、TC Tower。是台灣目前第二高的摩天大樓(僅次於台北101)，也是高雄最高的建築物。原本75樓是南臺灣最高的觀景台，可以俯瞰高雄市壯麗的海景與市景，可惜根據交通部觀光局的觀光資訊網，85 大樓目前因整修作業，37～85 樓層暫不開放。

Kaohsiung Music Center (Gao Liou) 高雄流行音樂中心(高流)

Kaohsiung Music Center (Gao Liou) was designed with the ocean as its central theme, and its unique architecture has made it an international landmark for music and the arts. The grounds include several distinct areas: the Wave Towers (a large indoor performance hall), the Coral Zone (six small exhibition spaces), the Whale Promenade (a complex of commercial spaces), the Dolphin Walkway, and LIVE WAREHOUSE, located in the Dayi Warehouse within the Pier-2 Art Center.

Before I even knew what the Kaohsiung Music Center was, I was already drawn to the eye-catching Wave Towers—including the Soprano Tower, Bass Tower, Haiyin Hall, and Sea Breeze Plaza. For those planning a visit, the outdoor areas are fully open to the public, and information on indoor opening hours and events can be found online.

高雄流行音樂中心(高流), 設計團隊以海洋為意象，建造特殊造型的建築物使之成為國際型的音樂地標。園區場域包括：音浪塔(室內大型表演場館)、珊瑚礁群(6間小型展演空間)、鯨魚堤岸(複合商業空間)、海豚步道、還有位於駁二藝術特區大義倉庫的 LIVE WAREHOUSE。

在我還不知道高流是何物時，我已被最為搶眼的音浪塔(高音塔、低音塔、海音館和海風廣場)吸引住了。想要參觀的話，戶外場域全面開放，室內開放時間及活動資訊可在網上查詢。

Pier-2 Art Cente 駁二藝術特區

Pier-2 Art Center — The term "Pier-2" originates from Kaohsiung's Pier-2 Warehouse, which was connected to the second warehouse on the pier and is located along the third canal of Kaohsiung Harbor. Originally, Pier-2 served as a general harbor warehouse. Today, it has been transformed into an international art center based on the principles of progressiveness, experimentation, and innovation, thanks to the efforts of artists and local cultural workers.

To find out what exhibitions or events are currently taking place, you can check online.

駁二藝術特區, 「駁二」一詞源自高雄駁二倉庫，接駁碼頭第二號倉庫，位於高雄港第三船渠內。駁二原為一般港口倉庫，在藝術家及地方文化工作者推動下，這裏成為以「前衛、實驗、創新」為理念來打造的國際藝術園區。

想要知道這裡有些什麼展演或活動可上網查詢。