Zhongyang Old Street | Penghu Attraction

Zhongyang Old Street stretches roughly 200 meters and is one of the earliest settlement streets in the Penghu archipelago. The Minnan-style stone shophouse facades from the Qing Dynasty remain intact. The street runs alongside Tianhou Temple; both sides maintain their traditional arcade layout, with shops still in operation. It is the best-preserved stretch of historical fabric in Magong.

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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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