The office of the Control Yuan includes a national monument built during the period of Japanese rule of Taiwan. The project to restore the monumental building’s dome was finally completed in March 2023, after three years of work. On 10 April, the CY held an unveiling ceremony headed by President Chen, once again presenting this stately and elegant century-old dome to the public.
The CY building was designed by Japanese architect Matsunosuke Moriyama. Construction was completed in 1915, after which it served as the Office Building of Taipei County. The building is notable for being one of Taiwan’s relatively better-preserved examples of historical Western-style Japanese architecture in Taiwan. The restored dome is located at the main entrance of the lobby. When walking into the hall, visitors will be greeted by four pairs of Tuscan-style double columns and stairs that form an M-shape. Looking up, visitors can see the magnificent dome and stained-glass ceiling. The dome is made in an imitation of the Pantheon of Rome, making it an iconic classical building in Taiwan.
President Chen noted at the unveiling that the dome had been closed since June 2020 and had been inspected by experts in historic site repair. The repair project was the first comprehensive masonry restoration project of its type in a century. The project stands as a testament to the CY’s commitment not only to protecting human rights and exercising supervisory powers, but also to the preservation of historical sites and cultural heritage. We hope that visitors and guests will be able to appreciate the beauty of the Control Yuan.