TAIPEI : What was once a bustling mining town in north Taiwan is now a historical museum park - set up to preserve a long-forgotten part of the island's history.

Gold was first discovered in Taiwan's Keelung river in the late 1800s.

The resulting gold rush led to the development of the area called Jingguashe.

Gold mining reached its peak during the Japanese occupation, when tonnes of the precious metal were shipped back to Tokyo each year.

At the site of the gold mine, more than 1,000 prisoners of war died there due to overwork. They were brought there by the Japanese to work as gold miners.

But after the Nationalist government took over, gold mining activities dwindled.

A museum was established in 2005 in Jingguashe to preserve the culture and history of gold mining in Taiwan.

Visitors can get to see what gold mining was like back in the early days - from an ore seam display, old mining equipment, mining transport systems to gold art works and a record 220kg pure gold ingot.

Mr Wang Teng-chung, Director of Gold Museum, said: "Gold Museum is an ecological park. This is the first of its kind in Taiwan. Many Taiwan cultural items of gold mining days are preserved. There are many exhibition of gold mining. This allows us to experience the history of gold mining in north Taiwan."

And that's just what the visitors like about the park.

Mr Yang Ming-shen, a tourist, said: "I think the gold mining history is well- preserved. It is worth a visit."

Ms Wang Way-shuen, a tourist, said: "The preservation of old culture is wonderful. I felt like stepping into a time machine."

Besides the Gold Museum, the park is also home to the Crown Prince Chalet.

It was built in 1922 to mark a planned visit by the then Japanese crown prince but he never came.

Ms Beaten Min, a tourist, said: "It is a good place to see the history of Taiwan. These Japanese-styled houses, it's great fun for the kids. I have not seen everything yet. So far it is very interesting. The Japanese-styled building, the history aspects. I wish I could see a bit more of nature, as it is all shrouded in fog."

And there is more for tourists in the future as the rebuilding of a gold refining laboratory is underway.

Mr Wang Teng-chung added: "Behind us is a secret gold refining lab. Our engineers discovered it. There is evidence that the Nationalist government used it to refine gold after taking over from the Japanese."

Gold mining and refining are history now in north Taiwan. But as the park shows, old is still gold. - CNA/de