Grand Hotel Taipei

The Grand Hotel Taipei was built in stages between 1952 and 1973 on Yuanshan hill overlooking the Taiwanese capital, commissioned under the direction of Soong Mei-ling, known in the West as Madame Chiang Kai-shek, as a state guesthouse for the Republic of China government after its relocation to Taiwan. The hotel's design follows traditional Chinese imperial palace architecture, built in red and gold with sweeping tiled roofs, ornate ceiling coffers and dragon motifs throughout its public rooms, and it is frequently described as among the largest buildings constructed in the traditional Chinese classical palace style anywhere in the world. The site had earlier held the Taiwan Grand Shrine, a major Shinto shrine built during Japan's colonial administration of Taiwan, which was demolished after the end of Japanese rule to make way for the hotel. A fire severely damaged part of the hotel in 1995, destroying its main tower's upper floors, though the building was subsequently restored to its original design. The hotel has hosted numerous foreign heads of state and dignitaries visiting Taiwan since its opening and remains one of Taipei's most recognizable architectural landmarks.