Visiting Keelung’s ubiquitous air-raid shelters

In every nook and cranny of Keelung City, from the streets and schools to private houses, you’ll find air-raid shelters. Due to wartime needs, many air-raid shelters were built in Keelung during the Japanese occupation period. At that time, the shelters played a role as war command posts and a refuge to the people, making them an important chapter in Taiwan’s military history.

The air-raid shelters are considered dark corners in the community, which without proper management, all too easily become public security concerns. To address this issue, community wardens in Keelung mobilized community forces and installed lighting throughout their air-raid shelters. The century-old air-raid shelter in Wenan Village is kitted out with historical photographs and textual explanations to inform the public of the local military history. These installations have helped activate the community, with some people even turning the air-raid shelters into restaurants.

Keelung’s air-raid shelters hold childhood memories for many local people. However, whether it be the activation of the community or its people, installing lighting has helped illuminate Keelung’s dark and mysterious air-raid shelters and created a unique historical footprint in the city.

以下為中文對照

全台最多！探訪基隆防空洞

走進基隆市，幾乎隨處可見防空洞的身影，不管是在街道邊、學校、民宅後面，都能看到一個又一個的防空洞，因為過去戰爭的需求，基隆在日據時期大量建造了防空洞，在當時是戰爭指揮所，也是民眾的避難空間，因此是軍事歷史上重要的一頁。

防空洞被認為是社區中黑暗的角落，在沒有管理的情況下，容易成為治安的死角，因此有里長結合社區力量，為防空洞點上電燈，像是文安里的百年防空洞，在洞內掛上歷史照片以及文字解說，讓民眾能夠踏尋軍事歷史的足跡。除了社區的活化之外，也有民眾將防空洞做為餐廳，讓客人可以在防空洞內用餐。

基隆的防空洞有著在地人的童年記憶，然而不管是社區或是民眾的活化使用，都為防空洞揭開了黑暗神秘的面紗，成為基隆獨有的歷史痕跡。

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