Later this week, the tightly controlled rooftop of New Taipei City Hall will open its doors to the public for the first time. The helipad on top of New Taipei City Hall is a controlled area, normally only open to exclusive, glamorous film shoots. But as part of the Open House Taipei event, this weekend visitors will be allowed up to see its panoramic views.

New Taipei Mayor Hou Yu-ih led his team in a dance video to celebrate New Year in January. This was a rare glimpse of the roof of the city hall. As part of Open House Taipei, the public will get a chance to visit this secret castle in the air for the first time.

Huang En-lin
FTV reporter
I''m here at the helipad on the roof of New Taipei City Hall. I''m more than 140 meters off the ground, and standing here you can see all the districts of greater Taipei, with sweeping views across Taipei 101, Linkou, and Guanyinshan.

Here on the 33rd floor of the building, you get 360-degree views of the whole metropolis. Even on a rainy day that shrouds your average skyscraper in drizzle, here there''s still a magnificent view. But to get up here, you have to prepare properly.

Safety harness, ropes and helmet are all vital. Visitors go up in groups of five to ensure their safety. There were just 50 tickets available, though almost 2,000 candidates lined up for the rare opportunity.

Tai Hsiang-yi
New Taipei City spokesperson
Since the City Hall was built in 2003, it was only opened for public use once, for an emergency evacuation drill. Otherwise it has been a controlled area, although foreign film crews have used the space for filming.

This music video by the band Accusefive shows off a glimpse of the helipad. The space also features in the new feature film "Dead & Beautiful," a Taiwan-Netherlands joint production, plus the TV drama "You Light Up My Star" and multiple global fashion commercials. Now this aerial glamor spot will open just briefly for the casual, curious guest.