The Church of Todos los Santos in Kelang (Keelung, Taiwan)

Abstract

With the discovery of the foundations of the 17th-century Spanish church of Todos los Santos in Heping Island (Keelung, Taiwan) during the excavations from 2011 to 2019, the interest in this church has been ignited. It is not only viewed as a topic for academic discussion but also as a significant cultural heritage site for the city of Keelung. The study of this church, established by Spanish Dominicans coming from the Philippines between 1626 and 1642, has been approached from two angles: one based on historical documents and the other on archaeological data, effectively complementing each other. This paper primarily relies on Spanish and Dutch documentary sources to provide a better understanding of the archaeological findings. Moreover, it offers new perspectives on the archaeological conclusions by highlighting the distinction between two crucial elements: the convent and the church. The paper proposes the possibility that the final church, constructed with stone, may have remained unfinished, which complicates the interpretation of the discovered cemetery in the same site.