Hsinpu lies on the border between Taoyuan and Hsinchu, near Yangmei. It is a Hakka area that has seen better days.
Abandoned Church
In 2024, I saw this church for the first time. It’s already quite overgrown, which is probably why it’s always overlooked.
It likely had numerous outbuildings, which are now slowly being reclaimed by nature.
You can still get in from the back; the interior is still clearly recognizable, though the floor is already quite dangerous.
In 2025, unfortunately, the lower windows had already been destroyed.
Abandoned Factory
The road between Yangmei and Hsinpu winds pleasantly through the hills, past abandoned farmhouses, temples, and funeral houses. Eine Tages, so vor mich, nicht Böses im Sinn, sah ich dieses and thought to myself: Let’s have a look.
Bingo
I asked around and was told that the factory had been empty for quite some time, though no one knew exactly since when. I was told it had once produced toys. That would make sense—Taiwan manufactured low-cost goods for many years, probably up until the 1980s.
A slightly eerie feeling arises from the aerial roots still hanging freely through the broken roof. I imagine in another 15 years, the building would make a perfect setting for a good horror film.
Cinema in Hsinpu
Yes, Hsinpu definitely had better days. The building is a leftover from that time. Unfortunately, there’s always an aggressive dog around.
(Copyright Claudius Petzold)
