Changgyeonggung Palace (창경궁) - Area information - Korea travel information

Changgyeonggung Palace (창경궁)

Changgyeonggung Palace (창경궁)

12.2Km    2024-10-31

185 Changgyeonggung-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-762-4868

Located in the heart of Seoul, Changgyeonggung Palace was originally built as Suganggung Palace by the 4th ruler of the Joseon dynasty, King Sejong (r.1418-1450), for his retiring father, King Taejong. It often served as residential quarters for queens and concubines. During the reign of King Seongjong (r.1469-1494), the palace was renovated and renamed to Changgyeonggung Palace. It later became a park with a zoo and a botanical garden during Japanese colonial rule. The palace grounds remained this way until 1983 when restoration of its old grace was completed.

Changgyeonggung Palace Honghwamun Gate (창경궁 홍화문)

Changgyeonggung Palace Honghwamun Gate (창경궁 홍화문)

12.2Km    2021-05-27

99, Yulgok-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-762-4868

Honghwamun Gate is the main gate of Changgyeonggung Palace. It has three opening gates in the front and two to the side with a sophisticated locking mechanism.

King Sejong Statue (세종대왕 동상)

King Sejong Statue (세종대왕 동상)

12.2Km    2024-03-04

175, Sejong-daero, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-2133-7713

King Sejong Statue can be found at Seoul’s Gwanghawmun Square. The statue commemorates King Sejong the Great (1397-1450, reign 1418-1450), the fourth king of Joseon (1392-1897). He is thought to be the greatest king in Korean history, for he is credited with great developments in science and technology, expansion of Joseon’s territory, and the creation of the Korean script, [Hangeul]. King Sejong’s likeness can be found on the 10,000 won bill as well. 

Cancelled: Gwanghwamun International Art Festival (광화문국제아트페스티벌)

Cancelled: Gwanghwamun International Art Festival (광화문국제아트페스티벌)

12.2Km    2022-11-14

175, Sejong-daero, Jongno-gu, Seoul
• 1330 Travel Hotline: +82-2-1330 (Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese) • For more info: +82-2-723-9484~7

Gwanghwamun International Art Festival is designed to increase public knowledge and appreciation for the arts and culture. In addition to the art exhibitions, visitors will also be able to enjoy various performances and try different kinds of arts and crafts such as ceramics, silver handicrafts, leather handicrafts, and  more. The festival is also making a continuous effort to deliver more exciting programs and activities for visitors' enjoyment.

ARKO Art Center (아르코미술관)

ARKO Art Center (아르코미술관)

12.2Km    2023-08-07

3, Dongsung-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-760-4850

ARKO Art Center was founded in 1974 as Misulhoegwan in a building of former Deoksu Hospital in Gwanhun-dong, Jongno-gu to offer much-needed exhibition space for artists and arts groups. In 1979, Misulhoegwan moved to its present building, designed by preeminent Korean architect Kim Swoo-geun (1931-1986) and located in Marronnier Park, the former site of Seoul National University. The two neighboring brick buildings accommodating ARKO Art Center and ARKO Arts Theater are the major landmarks of the district of Daehakro.
As more public and private museums and commercial galleries came into the art scene in the 1990s, Misulhoegwan shifted to curating and presenting its own exhibitions. Renamed as Marronnier Art Center in 2002, ARKO Art Center assumed a full-fledged art museum system and played an increasingly prominent role as a public arts organization leading the contemporary art paradigm. When The Korea Culture and Arts Foundation was reborn as Arts Council Korea, Marronnier Art Center became ARKO Art Center named after the abbreviation for Arts Council Korea in 2005.
ARKO Art Center is committed to working as a platform where research, production, exhibitions and the exchange of creative activities grow and develop in connection with one another in addition to having a diversity of programs including thematic exhibitions addressing social agenda and public programs widely promoting various discourses in art.


Nwijo (뉘조)

Nwijo (뉘조)

12.2Km    2024-03-06

27 Insadong 14-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-730-9311

Nwijo is a Korean table d'hote restaurant located in Insa-dong where you can enjoy course meals made from hundreds of wild herbs. Starting with pumpkin porridge and water kimchi, basic dishes such as wild herb salads, pancakes, kimchi with boiled pork slices, and mixed roots are served along with set menu and wild herb enzymes as a standard part of the meal.

Naksan Park (낙산공원)

Naksan Park (낙산공원)

12.2Km    2024-10-18

41, Naksan-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-743-7985

Naksan Mountain (alt. 125 meters) is one of the four inner mountains of Seoul, and the mountain corresponding to the Azure Dragon of the East. It was also called Naktasan Mountain, which can be translated to Camel Mountain, because the terrain resembled a camel's back. It also had another name, Taraksan Mountain, “tarak” meaning fermented milk, because there was a royal ranch in the area that supplied milk to the palace. After the 1960s, the original appearance of Naksan Mountain disappeared due to apartments and dense housing, and the Seoul Metropolitan Government established a restoration plan. As part of this plan, a park project was carried out, and it opened Naksan Park in July 2002. Currently, Naksan Park has established itself as a resting place for citizens to feel the beautiful atmosphere of Hanyangdoseong, or the Seoul City Wall, and green forests. It has gained much popularity as a place for seeing the most beautiful night view in Seoul.

Moonguesthouse(문게스트하우스)

Moonguesthouse(문게스트하우스)

12.2Km    2024-06-20

31-18, Samil-daero 32-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-745-8008, +82-10-8704-9981

The Moon Guesthouse is situated near a number of interesting tourist destinations including Unhyeongung Palace (3min on foot), Bukchon Hanok Village (5min on foot), Changdeokgung Palace (5min on foot), and Changgyeonggung Palace (10min on foot). The guesthouse was named ‘moon’ (‘door’ in English) because it has many 176 doors and windows. Upon entering by the gate, visitors will see a ‘ㄷ’-shaped hanok building in the courtyard, in which a wooden bedstead and a table are placed. On the opposite of the hanok building there is a wall roofed with tiles engraved with Korean patterns such as deer, pine, turtle, etc. Flowers in the flowerbed lined up along the wall are in bloom and the bonsai are also well-kept in the house. Renovated and opened as a guesthouse in September 2011, Moon Guesthouse consists of a bonchae (main building) and a byeolchae (detached house). The rooms are decorated with red clay and hanji (traditional Korean paper handmade from mulberry trees), and have under-the-floor heating (ondol). Each room is equipped with an air-conditioner, and has a 40cm-thick layer of red clay over the ceiling for insulation, making the rooms cool in summer and warm in winter. The house has seven individual guestrooms and five modern bathrooms, but the entire building (bonchae or byeolchae) can be rented, too. In particular, the unhyeondang of the bonchae is very popular as it can be converted into one large space for special events, group workshops, etc. simply by opening all the sliding doors (Bunhapmun – Goryeo construction style). This room, which is decorated with a flower-patterned windscreen, a landscape painting, and calligraphy, has been used as a shooting location for various TV programs including KBS2’s TV reality program Man’s Qualification and its variety show The Human Condition. The guestrooms are also equipped with traditional furniture including a cabinet inlaid with mother-of-pearl. The guesthouse also provides a variety of experience programs from 11am to 3pm, including tea ceremony, wearing Hanbok (traditional Korean clothes), making kimchi and gochujang (red chili paste), playing a traditional musical instrument, making a rubbing of a stone inscription, calligraphy, drawing orchids on a fan, and so on. The house has about seventy hanbok and other clothing accessories, as well as a royal costume. Its calligraphy and drawing orchid programs are run directly by the owner, who used to work as a classical Chinese teacher at a high school.

Seoul Lantern Festival (서울빛초롱축제)

Seoul Lantern Festival (서울빛초롱축제)

12.2Km    2023-11-23

175 Sejong-daero, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-3788-8168

The Seoul Lantern Festival is held every year from the first Friday of November to the third weekend of the month for approximately 3 weeks. With various themed lanterns around Cheonggyecheon Stream, visitors can enjoy both traditional lanterns and modern LED lanterns. The festival provides much to see and do with the addition of Gwanghwamun Square Market.

Gwanghwamun Market (광화문 마켓)

Gwanghwamun Market (광화문 마켓)

12.2Km    2024-09-30

175 Sejong-daero, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-3788-8168

Gwanghwamun Market takes place along with the Seoul Lantern Festival to support local small businesses and promote Seoul night tourism. The market features local store owners and businesses that exhibit and sell seasonal decor, handcrafted items, and winter snacks.