Lungshan Temple Taipei Taiwan

Taipei is a city with thousands of temples. One of the most visited is the Lungshan Temple. First built in the 1730s it has been destroyed several times. It was leveled by an earthquake in the early 1800s, wiped out by a typhoon 80 yeas later and hit by U.S. bombers during World War II. Each time it was carefully rebuilt.

The temple is dedicated to Kuanyin, the Goddess of Mercy. Devotees come from all over to pray here.

Also known as the Dragon Temple it has elaborate ceramic dragons perched on its rooftops. Although the temple complex is small, I was easily able to spend a few hours here admiring the architecture and taking in the all the activity of worshippers shrouded in incense clouds.

Lungshan Temple is open from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. To get there you can take the MTR to the Lungshan Temple station.