International acknowledgment of Kaohsiung MRT Stations／全球最美麗的地鐵站
International acknowledgment of Kaohsiung MRT Stations
The world most Beautiful Subway Stations
◎English translation by Lin Fang-ju
◎Photos by Pao Chung-hui, KRTC
The MRT has made Kaohsiung's transportation more convenient, with some of its unique public art displays that are reputed to be of the most beautiful subway stations in the World. In early 2012, Kaohsiung's Formosa Boulevard and Central Park Station were rated second and fourth in BootsnAll's article: "15 of the Most Beautiful Subway Stops in the World". BootsnAll is a US-based travel website that has been in operation for fourteen years. The ratings are significant considering its 3.5 million hits it gets per month.
Formosa Boulevard lies at the intersection of the red and orange lines and is the world's largest circular underground station. In BootsnAll's article, "The Dome of Light" received an honorable second place, due to its immensity and artistic message. The glass masterpiece designed by Italian artist Maestro Narcissus Quagliata was composed of 4500 pieces of stained glass and is the world's largest glass masterpiece. It features penetrating light through evolving scenes.
Completed in 1997, the Kaohsiung MRT brought tremendous change to the region's public transportation. The system also included a series of buses routes, connecting the public with the underground. Taking 4.5 years to complete, the station has become known for its extraordinary and distinct design, attracting daily crowds that come to appreciate the unique public art. It has also become one of the city's most popular spots for wedding photography.
Central Park Station public art was created by British landscape architect, Richard Rogers. It modernizes the city's landscape and integrates nature into the station's design and atmosphere. It integrates sunlight and tranquility into an underground where visitors enjoy the enhancing fresh greenery of outdoors. The massive 200 ton shelter is also designed to depict images of flight, symbolizing Kaohsiung's recent international success and thriving prosperity. Central Park station is in close proximity of President Department store, Shinkuchan and the central shopping district. It is an area that is popular with Kaohsiung's youthful clientele. Central Park is truly unique and attracts worldwide attention. With such unique and beautiful public art, Formosa Boulevard and Central Park Stations are certainly deserving of BootsnAll's tribute in, "The World's 15 most Beautiful Subway Stations".
全球最美麗的地鐵站
高雄捷運美麗島站、中央公園站
◎文／葉娜慧
◎照片提供／鮑忠暉、高雄捷運公司
高雄捷運車站站體及公共藝術再次受到國際肯定。充滿特色及藝術氣息的美麗島站和中央公園站，2012年初被美國擁有14年歷史，且每月瀏覽人次達350萬人次的「BootsnAll」旅遊網站，評選為全世界最美麗的15座地鐵站中的第二名和第四名。
高雄捷運紅、橘二線於97年完工通車，通車後開啟了公共運輸交通大變革，帶動後續一連串的接駁公車等全面性的交通計畫。除了提供更便捷的交通，位於紅、橘兩線交會點的捷運美麗島站，是全球最大的圓形地下車站，最具特色的「光之穹頂」設計是出自於義大利藝術家水仙大師(Maestro Narcissus Quagliata)之手，大型公共藝術「光之穹頂」用了4500片的玻璃彩繪，再組裝而成，歷經4年半的時間才完成這全球最大的玻璃藝術作品，巨大且絢爛的彩繪玻璃，讓光穿透展現出不同的景象及色彩變化，相當漂亮。美麗又具有特色的設計讓不少人及旅客專程搭捷運前往欣賞，甚至成為熱門的婚紗景點。
獲得第四名的中央公園站則是緊臨大統商圈與新崛江商圈，該區販售青少年的流行商品，設站興建之初即以「摩登高雄」為車站主題，英國景觀建築師Richard Rogers將陽光與寧靜自中央公園引入地下站體的整體規劃，讓旅客一出車站大廳即可享受原始森林般的清新綠意。
此外，為了展現中央公園站體雄偉磅礡氣勢，中央公園站重達200公噸的白色雨庇，襯托出「飛揚」的設計意象，象徵高雄市就此起飛、茁壯，讓這座捷運站，以其獨特且磅礡氣勢的設計受到全世界的矚目，獲選進入全球15座最美麗地鐵站，實至名歸。
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2012內門宋江陣
列為台灣十二大節慶之一的內門宋江陣於3月3日登場，精彩的表演獻給觀音佛祖，表達祝壽之意。(照片提供／鮑忠暉、張忠義)
One of the top twelve festival in Taiwan, the Neimen Songjiang Battle Array, were held on March 3rd in Kaohsiung. The performance is dedicated to Bodhisattva Kuan Yin and delivers performers' birthday wishes. (Photos by of Pao Chung-hui, Chang Chung-yi)
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