Gwanghwamun Gate (광화문)

1.3Km 2024-12-04

161 Sajik-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-3700-3900

Built in 1395 under the reign of King Taejo, the first king of the Joseon dynasty, Gwanghwamun Gate is the southern gate of Gyeongbokgung Palace. It is also the main gate of the palace, therefore larger and fancier in comparison to the other gates. Gwanghwamun Gate consists of three arched gates; the center gate was used by the king, while the other two were used by the crown prince and royal officials. The tall granite walls of the gate serve as a platform for the wooden gate tower that watches over the city. The gate has a sign with its name written at the top center of the gate tower.

Gwanghwamun Gate went through several damages and restorations over the course of history. It was first severely damaged during the Imjin War (1592-1598) and was not restored until the reconstruction of Gyeongbokgung Palace in 1864. Under the Japanese administration, the gate was demolished and relocated to the north of the palace's eastern gate, followed by series of damages during the Korean War (1950-1953). In 1968, Gwanghwamun Gate was relocated back to the south of the palace and was rebuilt using concrete; however, the gate’s position was shifted a few meters away from its original location. In 2006, a major reconstruction project took place to restore Gwanghwamun Gate to its original state and location, disassembling the structure completely and replacing concrete with granite and wood. After three years and eight months of construction, Gwanghwamun Gate was fully restored to its original form and was open to the public on August 15, 2010.

Jeongdok Library (서울특별시교육청 정독도서관)

1.3Km 2021-05-08

48, Bukchon-ro 5-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-2011-5799

Jeongdok Library opened in January 1977 on the former site of the Gyeonggi High School in Bukchon, Jongno-gu, Seoul. As a public city library, it boasts little under half a million books and 16,300 reference materials. The Seoul Education Museum in the library houses a collection of 12,000 reference materials.

In addition to basic library functions (lending books and offering archives and reading rooms to the public), the library runs various cultural programs such as monthly lectures by invited authors, photo exhibitions, reading seminars, and music/dance performances.

National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Seoul [MMCA Seoul] (국립현대미술관 서울관)

1.3Km 2023-06-23

30, Samcheong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-3701-9500

The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Seoul (MMCA Seoul) opened in 2013 as a city venue of the MMCA, which opened in 1986 in Gwacheon. The museum site was where many of Korea’s historical and political developments were achieved, both during the Joseon dynasty and after the Korean War. The Seoul venue of MMCA stands out from other museums through its use of Korea’s traditional architectural concept of "madang," a spacious courtyard where people can come and gather to socialize. The exterior of the building stands in harmony with the surrounding landscape. Inside, the museum is equipped with many facilities, including a reference center, project gallery theater, and multipurpose hall. MMCA Seoul strives to accommodate every mode of new artistic endeavor and to communicate with the public.

Osulloc - National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art Branch [Tax Refund Shop] (오설록 현대미술관)

1.3Km 2024-04-23

30, Samcheong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul

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Haepungbuwongun Yun Taekyeong's Jaesil (해풍부원군윤택영댁재실)

1.3Km 2021-11-10

28, Toegye-ro 34-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul
+82-2-3396-5882

Haepungbuwongun Yun Taekyeong's Jaesil is a shrine house built by the father-in-law of King Sunjong of Joseon dynasty in 1906 when his daughter was proclaimed the crowned princess of Joseon and entered Changdeokgung Palace to later become Queen Sunjeong. Red pine trees salvaged from the demolition of Gyeongungung Palace were used to construct the house. It was originally located in Jegi-dong, Dongdaemun-gu, but was later restored and moved to its present location. The shrine of the house that was destroyed in 1960 was also restored.
Because the house is more of a shrine rather than residential living quarters, it has many unique features. For example, unlike other houses, it has the anchae (women’s quarters) located across from sarangbang (men’s quarters) with daecheong (living room) positioned between them.

Gwanghwamun Hanokjip (광화문한옥집)

1.3Km 2024-10-15

7, Saemunanro5ga-gil, Jongro-gu, Seoul
+82-2-731-2500

A store with rooms reproducing a traditional kitchen. The best menu at this restaurant is napa wraps with pork. This is a Korean cuisine located in Gwanghwamun Gate, Seoul.

Baek In-je House (백인제가옥)

1.3Km 2025-10-24

16 Bukchon-ro 7-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-724-0200

Baek In-je House, located in Bukchon Hanok Village, is a hanok built during the Japanese administration period that portrays modern hanok features. The structure consists of a main room offering a good view of the whole village, spacious bedrooms, a large garden, and annex buildings. As it maintains the beauty of a traditional hanok while incorporating the modern trend of its time, Baek In-je House is considered to be highly valuable in means of both architecture and history, representing the Bukchon Hanok Village together with Yun Bo-seon House.

Baek In-je House was built from black pine, which was first introduced in Seoul during the Gyeongseong Expo in 1907, distinguishing itself from other upper-class houses of its time. Unlike other traditional hanok designs that separate the main building from the other rooms, Baek In-je House connects the two with a hallway, allowing convenient access between the two structures. The house also consists of a Japanese-style hallway and floor mat rooms, reflecting the interior trends of that period. Baek In-je House is also unique in that the main room is partially built as a two-story structure, a style that was never seen in any traditional hanok built during the Joseon period.

Kumho Art Hall (금호아트홀)

1.3Km 2021-05-28

76, Saemunan-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-6303-1977

Kumho Art Hall was built in 2000 exclusively for classical music concerts, with 390 seats, the perfect structure for chamber concerts. All seats are recital hall chairs and the wide spacing between rows of chairs helps the audience to have a pleasant time. Upon entering the theater, all cell phones will turn off automatically. This helps all visitors to enjoy the concert without being interrupted by ringing cell phones. The interior is cozy and luxurious, and the stage is made of maple.

Cheonggye 5-ga Bag Wholesale Shopping Center / Cheong'o Bag Shopping Center (청계5가 가방도매상가 / 청오가방상가)

1.3Km 2024-03-18

229 Cheonggyecheon-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Cheonggye 5-ga Bag Wholesale Shopping Center is a place where you can purchase various types of bags at affordable prices. They offer a diverse range of items including handbags, briefcases, suitcases, and school bags. Selling unique models produced directly from their own factory, the prices are reasonable, and the quality is excellent. The shopping center also houses wholesale stores for clothing and bag accessories.

Boram Optical [Tax Refund Shop] (보람안경)

1.3Km 2024-06-26

25-3, Namdaemunsijang-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul

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Gwanghwamun Gate (광화문) - Area information - Korea travel information