Sanzhi (三èŠ), Taiwan Abandoned Housing/Hotel Development
Craig May 26th, 2007
As you travel east from Danshui along the number 2 highway that runs along the north coast of Taiwan, you come to the small town of Sanzhi (三èŠ). Just before arriving in Sanzhi (三èŠ), there’s an interesting site hugging the shoreline - an abandoned hotel/apartment complex that looks like somewhere ET might call home. I first heard about this a couple of years ago, but it was only recently that I was able to get out there. The first attempt to go there with a friend was about a year ago. At the time, all we knew was that it was on the north coast somewhere but we weren’t quite sure where and we ended up turning right where we should have turned left, so we missed it. About 6 months later, I came across it on Google Earth which allowed me to learn exactly where it was. Even knowing where it was, it took another 6 months of waiting for the right combination of weather and light before I made it out there.
Accounts vary on the origins of this complex, and indeed, as to whether it was meant to be a hotel development or a housing development. Apparently, it was constructed in the 1960s and included/was to include a dam to protect it against sea surges, floors and stairs made of marble and a small amusement park. The site was commissioned by the government and local firms and there is no named architect. Local papers at the time reported that there were numerous accidents during construction which caused the death of some workers. As news of these accidents spread, no one wanted to go there, even to visit, and the project was subsequently abandoned. The ghosts of those who died in vain are said to still linger there, unremembered and unable to pass on. The complex was left in its unfinished state because no amount of redevelopment will bring people to the area due to superstitions about ghosts, and it can’t be demolished because destroying the homes of spirits and lost souls is taboo in Asian culture.
When I was there, I met 4 young university students who were passing by and stopped for a look. They didn’t want to get to close to the buildings for fear that the ghosts would take them. They told me there was “heavy evil” in the buildings.
Anyway, here’s the pictures. As always, clicking on a picture will bring up a larger version.
Hello Craig, I like very much your photos and especially this series with the way you enhanced the poetry of this famous place on the North coast ! Great !
Did you get the information from a newspapers ? The version I’ve heard from a local journalist is quite different and less romantic: This projects was built with the huge amount of money made on Taipei stockexchange during the 80’s but after a crack on the market, the promotor ran away and no money was left for the project. Nobody was willing to reinvest since it was too nearby the sea… then the ghost stories and the climate made their own contribution to the site. Anyway, it’s a fascinating place !
Thanks for the comment. I found out about it from various sources - some of which said they’d personally seen it abandoned in the 60s and 70s.
Hi, ive read about this place a few times, but i hadn’t previously seen anything that shows how big the place is. It looks absolutely amazing, i take it the shots were HDR’d to get the colours in the sky. Some great shots there.
Thanks Chris. These are not HDR, they are all single shots, carefully processed with masking techniques in Photoshop.
I just got back from Taiwan on 21 September and made a point of visiting this place. There was a fenced gate but it is wide open. We found maybe 8 -12 young Taiwanese teens there outside one of the pods and a few more that were inside the top floor flashing pictures at us when we visited. The story I got is from a Taiwanese friend and differers yet again . He said the owner went ahead with the development prior to city halls official approval and because approval was rejected he could not run as a hotel and get a business licence. He stubbornly closed the doors to the project instead of fighting for approval. The relationship with ghosts and spirits is due to vagrants having used it as a place for living and in some cases as a place to commit rape and or murder of young victims. The building on the right was to be shops and office and the pods an upscale hotel resort. Any more versions?
Hi, I’m a fan of this kind of abandonned places but this place is really amazing. I have just opened a blog and I wanted to know if I can publish (quoting your name and put a link to this site of course) on my blog. Sorry for the mistakes I’m french. Thanks Laurent
Laurent, sure, feel free to post it on your blog.
Thank you !
Craig. This is unreal. and the photography is just AMAZING!! Can I ask what camera you used for these shots?
Sarah, I used a Canon 20D and 17-40mm f4L lens.
[...] May I blogged about the abandoned pod development in San-zhr (三èŠ) on the north coast of Taiwan. It has proved to be one of the more popular posts on this [...]
This place is amazing! can’t find it on Google Earth tho. Could you give me some Longitude/Latitude numbers? Great photos…love the colors. thanks for sharing!!
I missed this post, so I’m really glad you included the link to it in your recent post about the pod village. What an interesting story!
The coordinates are
25 deg 15 min 39.03 sec N 121 deg 28 min 39.25 sec E
Sorry, I don’t know how to write the symbols correctly so that they can be entered directly into Google Earth
[...] May I blogged about the abandoned pod development in San-zhr (三èŠ) on the north coast of Taiwan. It has proved to be one of the more popular posts on this [...]
This is breathtaking. I admire your style.
[...] been cursed since its inception, killing and injuring some of its construction crew. Photography by Craig Ferguson. More [...]
hi…
love this palce… is it easy to visit??
Thanks.
Petra, it’s pretty simple to visit. Just drive along the 2 highway from Danshui, or take any bus from Danshui heading to San-zhr, Jilong etc.
Wow! i am speechless in front of this strange beauty, that strongness of the images… i feel i would like to see more of this location, i feel i would like to see maybe a film in that decor!
you will see a movie! soon! i’m writing the script…
very good photos! congrats!