Foreword:
National Anping Harbor Historical Park is one of Taiwan's Focus Development Projects. Apart from exploring the tourism potential of the harbor, the importance of the project remains in the review of the historical meaning of Fort Zeelandia (AnPing Fort). Fort Zeelandia is the most significant historical monument of Taiwan in the Great Age of Explorations during the 17th Century.

However, after 300 years, only 3 walls remain of the once magnificent Fort Zeelandia. The southern wall of Fort Zeelandia is the biggest of the remains with a length of 65.8 metres. 2 other shorter sections hide deep in people’s houses. Although from the end of Ching Dynasty to Japanese occupation Fort Zeelandia's appearance has changed greatly, many people still believe that the original building foundation is still buried underneath the ground.

Therefore, ways on how to unearth the building structures is a task many archaeologists are confronting. Around the world many nations are beginning to study their own archaeological remains. These studies not only enhance the tourism industry, but also provide a sense of national and historical pride for the nation. Moreover it also contributes to accumulations of knowledge for generations to come. The Tainan City Government's aim is to present more clearly Fort Zeelandia to the world as one of Taiwan's few world-class historic sites and add values to the National An Ping Harbor Historical Park. In doing so the Government is enlisting the help of Cheng Kung National University Engineering Research Centre by using non-intrusive radar which explores the remains of Fort Zeelandia without damaging the site. This exploration has heralded some success as the analysis shows that 70% of the original structure of the Fort Zeelandia historic site is still intact.

Underneath the walls of Fort Zeelandia, at about 3.5 to 4 meters of depth, in an area of 20 meters long, for every 6 meters there is a hole of 1 meter in diameter. Are these holes the entrances to the legendary Dutch tunnels? These finds further add to the mystery and archaeological values of Fort Zeelandia, and they have motivated the Tainan City Government to excavate the remains of the Castle wall, in hope to find out the way of the dwellers’ life of Fort Zeelandia during the Dutch Era. In a very near future the City Government will be able to present a more complete face of the Fort Zeelandia to the world.