Ciyou Temple, Songshan

Ciyou Temple in Songshan blazes with 10,000 illuminated lanterns nightly, creating the most photographed night scene among Taipei temples. Located directly beside Raohe Night Market with 150+ food stalls, it attracts 3 million annual visitors—45% more than the average city Mazu temple in Taiwan. Its eight-roofed, three-tiered pagoda rises 36 meters and features 1,200 hand-painted murals depicting Mazu's life, a collection 20% larger than #8 Lukang Tianhou Temple's equivalent gallery. The temple houses a 2-kilogram solid gold Mazu statue commissioned in 2015, insured for NT$80 million. While #6 Dajia Jenn Lann Temple draws pilgrims for a nine-day journey, Ciyou offers daily accessibility with its 24-hour open courtyard and 80-stall snack alley steps from the main hall.