Cihou Tianhou Temple bears witness to Takao’s development from fishing village to international port, and is one of the oldest temples in Kaohsiung. Built during the Kingdom of Tungning, fishermen settled in the Cihou area and welcomed Mazu from Meizhou Island to Taiwan. At present, Tianhou Temple has two main halls and two side wings and is a demonstration of early post-war reconstruction. The mixed brick, wood, and stone structure is even more impressive due to an elevated foundation. Tiled roofs surround the temple square and adorn the main hall with dovetailed ridges, while the worship hall and both side wings feature horseback ridged roofs with an uplifted curve and interlocking height that reveal traditional architectural aesthetics. The detailed decor includes Zhang Mu-cheng's stone carvings, Chen Yu-feng's paintings, Ye Jin-yi's mosaics, among other masterpieces. The temple square entrance carvings used elegant pastel colors that bring details to life. Additionally, an insignia embossed on the wall of the main hall of the depict ranunculus leaves, characteristically exhibiting the influence of foreign cultures.
旗津／旗後天后宮
見證打狗漁村發展的旗後天后宮，是高雄市歷史最悠久的寺廟之一，起建於明鄭時代，當時有漁民逐漸在旗後定居，迎奉湄洲媽祖來臺，並建廟奉祀。清國時代又歷經三次修建的天后宮，廟前有商家林立的大街直通港邊碼頭，昔日曾為高雄最繁華的地帶。日本時代的旗後街儘管失去政經優勢，但天后宮仍是當時臺灣人的信仰重鎮，亦曾進行大規模重建，確立近代廟貌之格局。
現今兩殿兩護室格局的天后宮，為戰後初期整建之成果，混合磚、木、石結構的殿宇，因台基墊高後更顯立面非凡的氣勢。三川殿與正殿的鋪瓦屋頂作燕尾脊，拜殿和兩側護室則是馬背脊，起翹曲線加上錯落層次，傳統建築美學表露無遺。細部裝飾包含張木成的石雕、陳玉峰的彩繪、葉進益的剪黏等名家之作品，三川殿前步口石雕還施以素雅的淡彩，使雕鑿細節更加生動。此外，正殿附壁柱的柱頭可見芼茛葉裝飾，是受到外來文化影響所呈現出之特徵。
文／陳坤毅
圖／高雄市政府文化局