Lugang

A former major trading port on Taiwan's western coast that declined after its harbour silted up in the 19th century, Lugang has retained an unusually intact streetscape of Qing-era merchant houses, temple complexes, and narrow lane systems. Longshan Temple, one of Taiwan's oldest and most intricately decorated Buddhist temples, and the Nine Turns Lane — a deliberately crooked alley built to baffle sea winds and pirates — are central to the historic district.