(it was previously white). The fort was struck during the 1884 French bombardment of the Battle of Tamsui but suffered no damage. The linguist Herbert Allen Giles resided in the fort from 1885 to 1888 and completed some of his work on the Wade-Giles system of romanization of Standard Chinese there. Next to the fort the British built their consular residence in 1891. The Fort is adjacent to Aletheia University, which traces its origins back to 1872 when the Reverend Dr. George Leslie Mackay, a Canadian Presbyterian, established a mission and then a medical service and a school. Modern era The consulate closed during World War II and reopened after the end of the war. The premises remained as the British consulate in Taiwan until 1972, when the United Kingdom recognized the People's Republic of China. It then served as the Austrian embassy in Taiwan for a few months, until that nation also recognized the PRC. Aletheia University then attempted to acquire the fort, but no deal was reached by the time negotiations ended in 1978. The government of the Republic of China terminated the lease in 1980, taking ownership of the fort by 30 June. It was opened to tourists on 25 December 1984. The fort is classified as a grade one listed historical site and is now a museum with the interior recreated from photographs. In 2003, maintenance of the site was entrusted to the Taipei County Government from the Ministry of the Interior. It was reopened after refurbishment in 2005. Tourist information The fort and the former British consular residence, an elegant Victorian house fused with some Chinese elements, now function as a museum. The location provides a beautiful outlook on the Tamsui River and Guanyin Mountain. The fort is open to the public Tuesday – Sunday, 9am – 5pm. There is an $80NTD charge for admission, with some exceptions. Transport The fort is accessible within walking distance North West from Tamsui Station of the Taipei Metro. See also Fort Provintia Fort Zeelandia (Taiwan) Cape Santiago Eternal Golden Castle Taiwan under Dutch rule History of Taiwan References Bibliography External links Tamsui Historical Museum, New Taipei City 1629 establishments in Taiwan 1629 establishments in the Spanish East Indies San Domingo Spanish Formosa Dutch Formosa Spanish East Indies Military and war museums in Taiwan Buildings and structures completed in 1644 Tourist attractions in New Taipei Spanish Colonial architecture Former