No passport needed, Taichung Port’s “Parthenon” of white wind turbine towers is drawing crowds for limited-time photos before heading offshore in late September.

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You don’t need to fly to Greece to capture photos that look like they were taken at the Parthenon – Taichung is now the place to do it. Recently, rows of massive white columns have appeared at the Port of Taichung, standing one after another along the pier. Resembling the giant stone pillars of Greece’s Parthenon Temple, the unusual sight has gone viral online, drawing crowds eager to take photos. 

In fact, these pillars are wind turbine towers for Taipower’s offshore wind farm project. Taipower explains that to reduce risk and time associated with offshore installation, the tower sections are temporarily stored at the port’s “pre-assembly yard” for initial assembly. They are scheduled to be shipped out and installed at sea starting in late September. Unexpectedly, the site has become a limited-time photo hotspot. 

One visitor said that after seeing it on Threads and Instagram, they made a special trip to take photos because it looked so unique. Another said, “I wanted to come quickly while the opportunity was still there; otherwise, I might not have had the chance to get the shot later.” 

A project manager in Taipower’s renewable energy department, Hsu Wen-ko (徐文科), stated that they are carrying out all possible preparatory work onshore to minimize the time required for offshore operations. The components will then be transported out to sea, vessel by vessel for installation. 

Taipower states that this “Taichung Parthenon” is a fleeting sight, so if you want to capture it, now is the time.