Sinhua Old Street
In 1921, the first Baroque building appeared in western Xinhua. It is “Mister Lin Cloth Shop” at No. 435, Zhongzheng Road. Incorporating craftsmanship, art and cultural elements, it soon became an important landmark. Before long, more Baroque buildings appeared. Some Japanese ruling officials find the architectural style attractive, and decided that all buildings on this road be renovated into Baroque architecture in 1937, according to an urban plan. This resulted in what we see today.
During the time of the Japanese occupation, Sinhua Dist. had a very elegant appearance. At that time, there were many comings and goings between Sinhua and the Tainan City Government, resulting in vigorous business activities. Due to being animportant line of communication for the area, streams of people frequently came. This resulted in many western style buildings going up, forming a bustling street for shopping. Diverse kinds of stores appeared in the dozens, and this became a place of flourishing business activities.
The buildings on the street are built in a Baroque style, with decorative patterns and carved designs. Through preserving and repairing, the government has promoted an "Old Street Rebuilding" plan to renovate Sinhua Old Street, which has a history of over 80 years. This renovated old street has great artistic value, and is Sinhua Dist.'s greatest historical and cultural sight.
