Deoksugung Palace's Daehanmun Gate (덕수궁 대한문)

6.6Km 2025-01-13

99 Sejong-daero, Jung-gu, Seoul
+82-2-771-9951

Located near City Hall station, Daehanmun Gate is the main gate of Deoksugung Palace, one of the princiapl five palaces of Joseon dynasty. The name "Daehan" means wish for eternal prosperity of the Korean Empire. In front of the gate, the Palace Royal Guard Changing Ceremony is held twice daily, along with the reproduction of costumes and style throughout the year.

Jeongdong Culture Night (정동야행)

6.6Km 2025-05-20

99 Sejong-daero, Jung-gu, Seoul
+82-2-3396-4625

Jeongdong Culture Night is dedicated to promoting the history and culture of Jeongdong, a neighborhood in Jung-gu, Seoul. The festival programs allow participants to understand how the history is connected to today's culture and offers an opportunity to view Jeongdong's cultural facilities in a different perspective.

Seoul Doseonsa Temple (도선사(서울))

6.6Km 2025-06-25

504 Samyang-ro 173-gil, Gangbuk-gu, Seoul

Doseonsa Temple was established 1,100 years ago during the latter part of the Silla Kingdom when the renowned Buddhist priest Doseonguksa was traveling through the mountains. After visiting the site, Doseonguksa made a prophecy that led to the construction of the temple. According to legend, he used only his walking stick to carve the large Bodhisattva that sits at the temple. Interestingly enough, the statue does not show any evidence of chisel marks, further adding to the mystery of how the statue was made.

During the 7th year of King Gwangmu of the Joseon dynasty, Doseonsa Temple was officially named the representative temple of Korea with the purpose of promoting Cheongdamdaejongsa's Korean Buddhism movement, aiming at a religious revival. Due to these special circumstances Deseonsa Temple gained a high reputation and much recognition, which have held strong to this day.

Inside the temple, visitors can view the remains and written works of Cheongdamdaejongsa in the Cheongdamdaejongsa Memorial Hall. Next to the road leading to Cheonbuljeon Hall is a pond where you can toss a coin and make a wish and just past Yongammun Gate is a hiking path connecting Baegundae Cliff and Insubong Peak. Inside the Ksitigarbha Hall are portraits of President Park Chung-hee, Yuk Yeong-su, and Hyundai Chairman Chung Ju-yung. In front of the hall is a tree that is said to have been planted by a Buddhist priest who brought it from India 200 years ago. Historical artifacts can be found throughout the temple.

Deoksugung Palace Royal Guard Changing Ceremony (덕수궁 왕궁수문장교대의식)

6.6Km 2025-07-11

99, Sejong-daero, Jung-gu, Seoul
• 1330 Travel Hotline: +82-2-1330 (Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese) • For more info: +82-2-737-6444

Deoksugung Palace has held a guard changing ceremony since 1996 after thorough historical research by leading historians. The ceremony, which is held in front of Daehanmun Gate of Deoksugung Palace, is a tradition similar to the Changing of the Guards at Buckingham Palace and offers a rare opportunity to experience royal culture. The royal gate is opened and closed at pre-determined times, and the gatekeepers in charge of guard duty and patrols hold a shift ceremony three times a day.

The Royal Guard Changing Ceremony is a highly recommended event for tourists. It is held three times a day, with each ceremony following the same procedure and lasts for forty minutes to an hour, and the ceremony is free of charge. There are no ceremonies on Mondays as well as on severely cold or hot days.

As the ceremony begins, the changing of the guards commences replete with traditional musical instruments, and exchanges a password for verification. An eight-minute guard ceremony ensues, followed by a seven-minute change ceremony, and finally a patrol that completes the ceremony. The procedure takes a dramatic turn when 18 guards in six official positions beat a drum and bellow some orders.

The Royal Guard Changing Ceremony is a great opportunity to experience a rare traditional scene. The guards’ splendid costumes, with their brilliant primary colors, are a pleasure to view. Once the ceremony is over, visitors can take pictures with the gatekeepers.

Deoksugung Stone Wall Path (덕수궁 돌담길)

6.6Km 2025-01-10

24 Sejong-daero 19-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul

The Deoksugung Stone Wall Path runs along the wall of Deoksugung Palace. It is beautifully lit and landscaped, giving it a romantic atmosphere even at night. There are street performances and flea markets, and the area boasts many famous cafes and restaurants along Jeongdong street. In autumn, the ginkgo trees and walls form a stunning scene. Close to major cultural facilities such as the Seoul Museum of Art and Seoul Museum of History, it attracts numerous visitors come for a stroll.

Shinsegae Department Store - Main Store (신세계백화점 (본점))

6.6Km 2025-04-07

63 Sogong-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul
+82-1588-1234

Shinsegae Department Store opened its doors as the first modern department store in the country in 1960. It stands where Korea's first department store, the Japanese Misreukkosi Department Store, used to be in the 1930s. After undergoing remodeling in 2007, it reopened as a luxury hall, featuring diverse brands ranging from the top three international luxury brands to new designer brands. In addition, the Trinity Gardens and art halls in the department store serve as a cultural space for a shopping experience that combines art and shopping.

Seoul Museum of History (서울역사박물관)

6.6Km 2025-01-17

55 Saemunan-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Seoul Museum of History covers everything about Seoul's history and culture from the prehistoric era to modern times, focusing especially on the Joseon era. The museum aims to raise cultural awareness and build a strong bond within the community by collecting, preserving, researching, and displaying artifacts and materials related to Seoul as well as promoting the city's history and culture to an international audience.

Yongma Land (용마랜드)

6.6Km 2025-10-28

118 Mangu-ro 70-gil, Jungnang-gu, Seoul

Yongma Land, a private amusement park, was opened at the foot of Yongmasan Mountain in 1983, and closed its doors in 2011. Having spent some time as a derelict building, it has now been repurposed as a nostalgia-filled space. It was made famous as the filming location of Crayon Pop’s "Bar Bar Bar" music video. Since then, it has become a renowned destination for photography, thanks to its unique atmosphere created by the combination of lush greenery and derelict amusement rides. Entry may be restricted in the case of filming or space rentals, so make sure to check with the management before you head to the amusement park. Yongma Land is located next to Bonghwa Middle School, at Exit 1 of Mangu Station, Gyeongui–Jungang Line.

Seoul Hiking Tourism Center - Bukhansan Branch (서울도심등산관광센터(북한산))

6.6Km 2024-03-05

5F, 181-7 Ui-dong, Gangbuk-gu, Seoul
+82-1533-2608

The Seoul Hiking Tourism Center is located 5 minutes on foot from Exit 2 of Bukhansan Ui Station and provides various services to hikers. It provides hiking course guidance and information (available in Korean, English, Chinese, and Japanese) about the mountains of Seoul, including Bukhansan, Bugaksan, and Inwangsan Mountains, as well as promotional materials such as Seoul hiking tourism guidebooks and maps. Also, it operates hiking tour programs with various themes every week for foreigners and offers hiking gear rental services such as hiking boots, hiking attire, trekking poles, gloves, and crampons for foreigners. (Koreans accompanied by foreigners can also rent the gear.) In addition, there is a storage locker and lounge for visitors, so they can pack up and rest before hiking.

Kansong House (간송옛집)

6.6Km 2025-04-01

149-18 Sirubong-ro, Dobong-gu, Seoul

The 100-year-old traditional hanok Kansong House sits by the burial mound of Kansong Jeon Hyeong-pil (1906-1962), who played a significant role in preserving the cultural heritages of Korea during the Japanese colonial period. This house was orginally built by Kansong's adoptive father Jeon Myeong-gi (1870-1919) to us as a storage facilities for harvested agriculture from the northern Gyeonggi-do and Hwanghae. After his father's death, Kansong used the house as a ritual house for his father and often stayed here. Some damages were done to the house during the Korean War, and partial repair was made after his death.

Deoksugung Palace's Daehanmun Gate (덕수궁 대한문) - Area information - Korea travel information