Tourist Attractions
Gyeongbokgung Palace
Gyeongbokgung , also known as Gyeongbokgung Palace or Gyeongbok Palace, was the main royal
palace of the Joseon dynasty. Built in 1395, it is located in northern Seoul, South Korea. The largest of the Five
Grand Palaces built by the Joseon dynasty, Gyeongbokgung served as the home of Kings of the Joseon dynasty, the Kings’
households, as well as the government of Joseon.
Gyeongbokgung continued to serve as the main palace of the Joseon dynasty until the premises were destroyed by fire
during the Imjin War and abandoned for two centuries. However, in the 19th century, all of the palace’s 7,700 rooms
were later restored under the leadership of Prince Regent Heungseon during the reign of King Gojong. Some 500 buildings
were restored on a site of over 40 hectares.[1] The architectural principles of ancient Korea were incorporated into
the tradition and appearance of the Joseon royal court.
In the early 20th century, much of the palace was systematically destroyed by Imperial Japan. Since then,
the walled palace complex is gradually being reconstructed to its original form.
Today, the palace is arguably regarded as being the most beautiful and grandest of
all five palaces. It also houses the National Palace Museum of Korea and the National Folk Museum
within the premises of the complex.
N Seoul Tower
The N Seoul Tower, officially the YTN Seoul Tower[1] and commonly known as the Namsan Tower or
Seoul Tower, is a communication and observation tower located on Namsan Mountain in central Seoul, South Korea.
At 236m, it marks the highest point in Seoul.
Built in 1971, the N Seoul Tower is Korea’s first general radio wave tower, providing TV and radio broadcasting
in Seoul.[3] Currently, the tower broadcasts signals for Korean media outlets, such as KBS, MBC and SBS.
Myeong-dong
Myeongdong ( literally ‘bright cave’ or ‘bright tunnel) is a dong in Jung-gu, Seoul,
South Korea between Chungmu-ro, Eulji-ro, and Namdaemun-ro. It covers 0.99 km with a population of 3,409 and
is mostly a commercial area, being one of Seoul’s main shopping and tourism districts.[1]
In 2011, 2012 and 2013, Myeong-dong was listed as the ninth most expensive shopping street in the world.
The area is known for its two historically significant sites, namely the Myeongdong Cathedral and the Myeongdong
Nanta Theatre.
War Memorial of Korea
War Memorial of Korea is located in Yongsan-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, South Korea. It opened in 1994 on the former site of the army headquarters
to exhibit and memorialize the military history of Korea. The memorial building has six indoor exhibition rooms
and an outdoor exhibition centre displaying over 13,000 war memorabilia and military equipment.[1]
Bukhansan National Park
The Bukhansan National Park in Seoul and Gyeonggi covers an area of 79.92 km2
(30.86 sq mi) and was established on 2 April 1983. Bukhansan means “mountains north of the Han River.”
The park contains forested areas, temples and granite peaks. The three main peaks are Baekundae, 836.5 m (2,744 ft)
, Insubong, 810.5 m (2,659 ft) and Mangnyeongdae, 799.5 m (2,623 ft). Due to its popularity with hikers and Seoul
residents, some trails are closed on a rotation basis to protect the local environment.
The Bukhansanseong Fortress is located in the park, together with its 9.5 km (5.9 mi) long defensive wall.
A fortress was first built on this site in 132 AD to protect Seoul from foreign invasions, and it was expanded to
its current size in 1711. It was reconstructed after damage sustained in the Korean War. Despite its name, this
mountain is in Seoul, South Korea, so this mountain should not be confused with North Korea
(also referred to as bukhan).
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