to Guiyang Street. The 130 meter-wide facade faces east down multi-lane Ketagalan Boulevard. This reflects the concerns of its Japanese architects, who often oriented important structures toward the rising sun at the head of long avenues. (This feature may also be seen in Main Library of National Taiwan University.) The building has ten entrances but only the front entrance and west gate are used for official functions. In the original design an ornate Baroque-style domed entrance hall greeted visiting dignitaries. This entrance hall was reconstructed with simpler interior features after destruction of the first hall in World War II. The west gate, the formal rear entrance of the building, features a grand marble staircase and porch lined with Ionic and Corinthian pillars. The two-part main building, six stories high, mainly houses government offices and maintenance services. The office wings feature balconies and long corridor that allow view of the sunlit North and South Gardens. The 60-meter tower at the center of the building was the tallest structure in the Taipei Basin during Japanese rule. When the Nationalist regime took power, a platform was built at the top floor to enable martial flag-raising ceremonies. The Presidential Office Building stands within walking distance of the Judicial Yuan Building, 228 Memorial Park, the National Taiwan Museum, the original hospital of the National Taiwan University, the original East Gate of the City of Taipei, the Chang Yung Fa Foundation Building (formerly Kuomintang Party Headquarters) and the National Theater and Concert Hall at Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall. A few blocks to the west is Taipei's popular Ximending shopping district with its historic cinema and Zhongshan Hall. A few blocks to the north is Taipei Main Station and Shin Kong Life Tower. Access The building is accessible within walking distance South West from NTU Hospital Station of the Taipei Metro. Former President Chen Shui-bian revealed that the grounds of the Shilin Official Residence contain the entrance to a hidden tunnel that connects to the Presidential Office Building. Gallery See also Presidential and Vice-Presidential Artifacts Museum History of the Republic of China President of the Republic of China Governor-General of Taiwan Japanese General Government Building, Seoul Presidential Palace (Nanjing) References Further reading Shiue-chyn. "Architecture of the Presidential Office Building." Official Site: "A Tour of the Office of the President." Official Site: President of the Republic of China. Retrieved 2007-09-08. External links Office of the President Government Information