The underground tunnel in the east wing of the Taipei Grand Hotel was once an emergency exit for former President Chiang Kai-shek. It was opened to the public for the first time in 50 years since it was completed yesterday.
The passage in the west wing of the hotel has been open since September 2019 and has attracted more than 50,000 visitors within three months of opening. The hotel said that about 170,000 people visited the West Tunnel last year.
It said that since the visit to the West Tunnel was warmly welcomed, the hotel began to renovate the East Passage and opened it to the public more than a year ago.
Photo: Zhang Jiaming, Taipei Times
It added that with the opening of the once-secret guided passage, visitors can better understand the history of the hotel.
The hotel stated that the tunnel was designed to evacuate Chiang and his guests in an emergency. It was added to the hotel’s plan in 1970, when the construction of the main building had already begun, the hotel said, adding that it was the only company with such a International hotel in the passage.
In addition to the main architect Yang Zhuocheng, the hotel also invited a German-American engineer with extensive experience in building military shelters during World War II to design the tunnel.
Photo: Zhang Jiaming, Taipei Times
Visitors on the 67m long east passage first walk down the 84 stairs, and then continue down the tunnel.
The hotel said that the spiral channel helps protect evacuees from attackers and bullets.
It stated that the wall surface in the tunnel was uneven and could absorb sound, and added that 43 explosion-proof lights were installed to prevent damage from glass fragments during the evacuation process.
Photo: Zhang Jiaming, Taipei Times
This passage leads to a garden that was formerly the site of a Japanese temple. The hotel said that the former residence of Kong Lingwei, the first manager of the hotel and the niece of Mrs. Jiang Song Meiling's niece, is at the end of the garden.
It added that since people are also curious about Kong's mysterious lifestyle, the former residence will also be opened to tourists for the first time.
The 85m-long west passage has a 20m-long slide beside the stairs, which is used to evacuate anyone who cannot use the stairs.
For the opening of the Eastern Passage, the hotel has created 7 state banquet menus from more than 200 dishes prepared for the president, ranging from Chiang Kai-shek to President Tsai Ing-wen.
Historical tour packages are provided, including visits to the Eastern Passage, the former residence of Shilin Chiang Kai-shek and the National Revolutionary Martyrs Cemetery in Taipei's Shilin District (Shilin), as well as presidential packages and hotel accommodations.
The hotel stated that due to the limited capacity of the passage, the Eastern Passage was initially limited to customers, corporate customers and state banquet diners who joined as part of historical travel.
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