Magong Jinguitou Fort (National Historic Site) stands at the tip of a headland extending northward from Magong city into the harbour. The peninsula’s profile resembles a turtle’s head emerging from the water — hence the name “Jinguitou” (金龜頭, literally “Golden Turtle Head”). The fort was built in 1886 (the 12th year of the Guangxu reign) as a direct result of the Qing dynasty’s effort to reinforce Penghu’s coastal defences following the Sino-French War. In March 1885, French naval forces occupied Penghu and used Magong Harbour as a supply base for three months. Recognising the vulnerability of the harbour, the Qing court subsequently ordered the Fujian Governor to add gun emplacements to the key fortifications around Magong Bay. Of the emergency construction works carried out at that time, Jinguitou Fort is the most representative surviving example. Built of granite, with embrasures facing the harbour entrance, the fort commanded the entire main channel of Magong Bay. It is a significant on-site relic for the study of modern military history in Taiwan and Penghu, and one of the better vantage points in Magong city for panoramic harbour views.
What to See
The gun-wall embrasures and emplacement remains are the fort’s most immediate draw. The gun wall is built from squared granite blocks, far thicker than ordinary civilian construction; the embrasure openings are precisely cut and angled toward the harbour approach, clearly reflecting the logic of late-Qing coastal defence engineering. The original British Armstrong breech-loading guns are no longer in place, but the emplacement recesses and mounting-bolt holes remain clearly visible. On-site interpretation panels mark the operating range of the gun carriages; looking through an embrasure gives a concrete sense of the field of fire and the commanding view of the harbour that the defenders once held. The fort is divided into upper and lower gun tiers; the upper tier is the better-preserved of the two, and from it the views of Magong Bay and the sea to the northwest are almost unobstructed.
The harbour panorama from the headland is worth the walk even for visitors with no particular interest in military history. Although the headland is not high in elevation, it is surrounded by water on three sides, offering a field of view exceeding 270 degrees that takes in all of Magong Harbour, the North Sea shipping lane, and the coastline of Baisha Township in the distance. At dusk, when the Taiwan–Penghu ferry enters port and the setting sun falls across the water, this is one of the few spots in Magong city where it can be properly appreciated; the silhouettes of fishing boats and inter-island ferries read particularly clearly from this angle. These two aspects — historical remains combined with natural scenery — make Jinguitou Fort a worthwhile addition to an in-depth itinerary of Magong city.
Getting There and Nearby
From Magong Commercial Harbour stop (PEN299561, PEN299572, PEN299729), walk approximately 350 metres west along Gangbian Road (about 8 minutes) to the entrance. Several city bus routes serve the commercial harbour stop at intervals of roughly 20–40 minutes; there is no bus stop directly at the fort, so the final stretch must be covered on foot. Visitors departing from Magong Main Station can walk the entire distance in about 20 minutes, or cycle in about 8 minutes.
Scooters can be parked on the roadside near the entrance; there is no dedicated car park. Drivers are advised to park at the commercial harbour car park and walk, as the roads around the fort are narrow and difficult to pass.
Nearby attractions worth visiting on the same day: walking 15 minutes east brings you to Tianhou Temple (the oldest Mazu temple in Taiwan, established in 1604) and Zhongyang Old Street, where shops selling black sugar cake and cactus ice cream are concentrated — a convenient stop for the latter part of an afternoon. Riding a scooter about 10 minutes to the northwest reaches Guanyinting and the coastal park on the western shore, where the sunset angle is the complement of Jinguitou’s, rounding out a day of changing light for photography. Siyanjing (the Four-Eyed Well) is a 3-minute walk from Tianhou Temple and easily added without much extra time. If you plan to take a ferry to Wang-an or Qimei the same day, the Magong Harbour passenger service centre (outer-island ferry ticket offices) is located at the commercial harbour wharf, a 5-minute walk from the fort — visiting the fort before boarding an early departure fits well into the schedule.