Taiwan Food Atlas

Zhongyang Old Street

Penghu's earliest settlement street, with well-preserved Minnan stone arcade facades
📍 Penghu · Magong City · Zhongyang Street⛩️ Historic Temple🔖 Qing Dynasty Shophouses · Minnan Arcades · Historic Settlement

Zhongyang Old Street is a historic street in Magong that has existed since the city's founding over 400 years ago, one of the earliest settlement streets in the Penghu archipelago. Its Qing Dynasty Minnan-style stone shophouse facades survive today, and the Sikong (Four-Eyed) Well along the street is a county-designated historic site.

Zhongyang Old Street runs about 200 meters and has existed since the founding of the Magong walled city, giving it a history of more than 400 years as the earliest developed commercial street in Penghu. The Sikong (Four-Eyed) Well along the street is Penghu's oldest surviving well, designated a county-level historic site for its historical significance; it served as the area's main water source before piped water became available.

Highlights of Zhongyang Old Street

The old street dates to the Qing Dynasty and was the commercial heart of early Magong. The shophouses are built from local coral limestone (laogu stone) and brick, with arcade verandahs along the facade. The continuous arched colonnades provide shade and rain cover while defining the street space — a building type now rare on mainland Taiwan but still relatively intact in Penghu's old streets.

Though the street is short, its proximity to Tianhou Temple has historically concentrated both commercial and religious activity, creating a culturally dense neighborhood. Current businesses focus on local snacks, traditional groceries, and souvenirs. This is not a purely ornamental tourist street — genuine residential life continues here, adding a real lived-in quality.

Tips for Getting the Most Out of Your Visit

🧱
Look at the Building MaterialsLaogu stone (coral reef limestone) is the traditional building material of Penghu. The old street facades offer a close-up look at its texture and grain — clearly different from the brick shophouses common on mainland Taiwan.
🏮
Walk the Full Length of the ArcadeWalk from the Tianhou Temple end to the other end of the street, noting the proportional variations in the continuous arcade and the varying states of preservation among individual shophouses. The full length takes about 5–10 minutes.
🍢
Local SnacksThe area around the old street has local treats such as savory tang yuan and peanut roll ice cream. Options depend on which stalls are currently operating — no fixed list.
📷
Choose the Right LightThe street runs east–west. Morning light enters from the Tianhou Temple side, creating clear light-and-shadow contrasts under the arcades — a good time to photograph the shophouse facades.

Practical Information

Getting There & Time

  • Located on Zhongyang Street in Magong City, directly next to Tianhou Temple. Walkable from Magong Harbor, roughly 5 minutes by vehicle.
  • The street is open all day; individual shop hours vary. Main activity runs from morning to early evening.
  • Combine with Tianhou Temple for a total of 45–60 minutes.

Nearby Connections

  • Adjacent to Tianhou Temple — the two can be visited on foot as Magong's core historical route.
  • Shuncheng Gate (Qing Dynasty city gate) is about a 5–10 minute walk away, extending the route into a Magong heritage walk.

Sources: Spot context notes. Photos pending Dio's on-site photography.

Frequently Asked Questions

How old is Zhongyang Old Street?

It has existed since the founding of the Magong walled city, giving it a history of more than 400 years as one of the earliest settlement streets in the Penghu archipelago.

What is the Sikong Well on Zhongyang Old Street?

It is Penghu's oldest surviving well, designated a county-level historic site; it was the main water source for local residents before piped water arrived.

Sources

🗺️ View on the map ← All Penghu attractions