Jihwaja (지화자) - Area information - Korea travel information

Jihwaja (지화자)

1.3Km    2024-03-18

125 Jahamun-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-2269-5834

Jihwaja is a traditional Korean restaurant operated by a successor of Joseon dynasty royal dishes. Their manchan course (full course) includes menus served at royal banquets such as gungjung manchan (royal course), Jineo-byul manchan (deluxe royal degustation course), and janggeum manchan (daejanggeum degustation course) courses. The janggeum course reconstructs dishes from the drama "Dae Jang Geum." For the Jeongchan course (Set menu), they offer so galbi sura (grilled beef ribs course), jeonbok cho sura (braised abalones in soy sauce course), so galbi jjim sura (braised beef short ribs course), and haemul sinseollo sura (seafood hot pot course). Additionally, they serve milk porridge, meat and vegetable skewers, mandu, royal hot pot, and grilled marinated beef.

Bongwonsa Temple (봉원사)

Bongwonsa Temple (봉원사)

1.3Km    2023-03-13

120, Bongwonsa-gil, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul
+82-2-392-3007

Located on the outskirts of Ansan Mountain in Bongwon-dong, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, Bongwonsa Temple, as the center of Korean Buddhism Taego, is a thousand-year-old temple with a long history and tradition. In 889 (3rd year of Shilla Queen Jinseong’s reign), Monk Doseon founded it at the ground of Yeonhui Palace (now Yonsei Univ.) and named it Banyasa temple. It was destroyed during the Imjin War in 1592, and later in 1748 (the 24th year of Joseon King Yeongjo’s reign), it was rebuilt and renamed “Bongwonsa” by two Buddhist monks, Chanjeup and Jeungam.

“Yeongsanjae,” one of the Buddhist rituals and also a National Intangible Cultural Property, takes place at Bongwonsa on June 6 every year wishing for world peace and the reunification of North and South Korea. It was designated as one of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2009. During Yeongsanjae, visitors can enjoy the Buddhist arts such as Beompae (Buddhist temple music for rituals) and dancing. Also, during summertime, Seoul Lotus Flower Culture Festival takes place, where visitors can enjoy the beautiful lotus flowers which are a symbol of Buddhism.

Seoul Gyeonggyojang House (서울 경교장)

Seoul Gyeonggyojang House (서울 경교장)

1.3Km    2021-09-15

29, Saemunan-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-735-2038

Gyeonggyojang House, a designated Historic Site, was the location of the provisional government and the place where Baekbeom Kim Koo passed away. Seoul reproduced the historical site, Gyeonggyojang House, to use the area as an educational site. Also, the house exhibits the history of the provisional government in order to see the history more clearly.

Restoration work included the demolition of the interior that was changed when the building was turned into a hospital facility and embassy after Kim Koo passed away in 1949. During the work, the remaining parts were maintained with the utmost care. Reconstructed parts were based on the building's floor plan written in Chosun and Architecture (8th edition in 1938). Visitors can see various contents related to the Korean Provisional Government history through relics, video, and information searching corners.

The Street in front of Cheongwadae (The Blue House) (청와대 앞길)

The Street in front of Cheongwadae (The Blue House) (청와대 앞길)

1.4Km    2025-08-20

Gungjeong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-120

The street in front of Cheongwadae (the Blue House) is open to the public and includes both Hyoja Samgeori (Hyoja three-way intersection) in Hyoja-dong and Palpan Samgeori (Palpan three-way inetersection) in Palpan-dong. When walking along Hyoja-ro Road from Gyeongbokgung Station, sights include a fountain, Mugunghwa Garden, Yeonmugwan Hall, and Daegogak & Yeongbingwan Hall.

Cheongwadae Sarangchae consists of one basement level and two above-ground levels, including Korean Culture Exhibition Hall, Planned Exhibition Hall, a gift shop, and rest area (Korean Food Promotion Hall, Café) on the first floor and Cheongwadae Hall and Haengboknuri Hall on the second floor. Daegogak Hall houses a book donated to former president, Kim Young-sam for expressing the past spirit of Sinmungo (Petitioner's drum from Korean History). Yeonmugwan Hall is a martial art and fitness center for guards. Mugunghwa Dongsan, formed after the ansa (Safe House) was demolished in 1993, includes a well, mock fortress, and rest area. Located behind Mugunghwa Dongsan is Apostolic Nunciature in Korea and Chilgung (Seven Palaces).

At the beginning of the street in front of Cheongwadae, dense trees and beautiful flower gardens decorating both sides of the road make it a nice place for taking a walk. The area from the north gate of Gyeongbokgung Palace, Chunchumun, to the main gate of Gyeongbokgung Palace, Geonchunmun, is Samcheongdong-gil Road. This road is home to many art galleries, including Kukje Gallery, Growrich Gallery, Gallery Hyundai, and Jin Art gallery, in the area of Hyoja-ro.

National Palace Museum of Korea (국립고궁박물관)

National Palace Museum of Korea (국립고궁박물관)

1.4Km    2023-03-24

12, Hyoja-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-3701-7500

The National Palace Museum of Korea displays over 40,000 relics from the Joseon dynasty. With various treasures on exhibit, the museum continues to provide information on the dignity of royal culture and the creativity of royal cultural assets.

CheongKwanJang - Hongje Branch [Tax Refund Shop] (정관장 홍제)

CheongKwanJang - Hongje Branch [Tax Refund Shop] (정관장 홍제)

1.4Km    2024-04-16

1F, 405, Tongil-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul

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Seoul Museum of History (서울역사박물관)

Seoul Museum of History (서울역사박물관)

1.4Km    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.

Korean National Police Heritage Museum (경찰박물관)

Korean National Police Heritage Museum (경찰박물관)

1.4Km    2021-12-21

41, Saemunan-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-3150-3681

The police museum opened on October 14, 2005 to give a better understanding of the job of the police and to offer a formal education to children who wish to become police officers in the future. The history hall of the museum is designed for visitors to learn about the history of Korean police at a glance, exhibiting information on the police force from the Joseon dynasty up until current times.

Visitors to the museum can pretend to be police officers by touching actual equipment and learning about an officer's daily tasks. Visitors can also get in patrol cars, wear a police uniform, experience shooting a gun through a simulation, and learn self-defense martial arts and arrest techniques. Visitors can also go to the museum jail.

TUBAn [Tax Refund Shop] (주식회사 투바앤)

TUBAn [Tax Refund Shop] (주식회사 투바앤)

1.4Km    2024-04-23

1955, Goyang-daero, Deogyang-gu, Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do

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Kangbuk Samsung Hospital (강북삼성병원)

1.4Km    2025-10-23

29 Saemunan-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Established in 1968, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital has over 50 years of history and is taking a new leap forward with a vision for its centennial year.
Through partnerships with renowned institutions, such as Johns Hopkins Hospital in the United States and the BBDC in Canada, the hospital delivers advanced medical services while leading the public health arena. It is also committed to systematic research and the development of ICT-integrated digital healthcare, which will be the foundation for future medicine. With an excellent infrastructure that includes clinics and specialized centers (e.g., the Diabetes Center, Breast and Thyroid Cancer Center, Digestive Cancer Center, Musculoskeletal Disease Center, and Prostate Center), Kangbuk Samsung Hospital provides top-quality medical services focused on providing patients with satisfactory treatments.