Sungnyemun Gate (숭례문)

5.7Km 2024-11-27

40 Sejong-daero, Jung-gu, Seoul

Sungnyemun Gate is Korea’s National Treasure No. 1, and its unofficial name is Namdaemun Gate. Sungnyemun Gate is the largest castle gate stone structure with an arched entrance in the middle. There’s a column on top of a platform, raising the roof, distinguishing the upper stories and lower stories of the building. Passageways for traffic are located at the east and west ends of the gate. Different from the other gates, Sungnyemun Gate’s tablet has its name written vertically.

On February 10, 2008, Sungnyemun was destroyed by fire. After a 5-year reconstruction work, the gate was re-opened to the public again on May 4, 2013.

Myeong-dong, Namdaemun, Bukchang-dong, Da-dong and Mugyo-dong Special Tourist Zone (명동 남대문 북창동 다동무교동 관광특구)

5.7Km 2021-12-30

40, Sejong-daero, Jung-gu, Seoul
+82-2-3396-4622

Myeong-dong, Namdaemun, Bukchang-dong and Da-dong are widely known among international visitors as hot spots for shopping and food.

Myeong-dong is a popular destination for shopping, culture, arts and fashion. Major shopping malls such as Lotte Department Store, Shinsegae Department Store, Myeong-dong Migliore and Samik Fashion Town are located here. Shoppers can find a variety of products here from high-end items to relatively inexpensive clothes. There’s also no shortage of street food, traditional restaurants, coffee shops and fancy cafes.

Namdaemun Market is the biggest traditional market in Korea. Visitors can purchase souvenirs and local produce at an affordable price in the shopping complex crowded with stores and street stalls. The market sells a variety of clothes, kitchenware, toys, accessories, food, flowers and imported goods.

Bukchang-dong and Sogong-dong have high-end accommodations including Lotte Hotel Seoul and Westin Chosun Seoul, duty-free shops, and restaurants serving traditional dishes.

[Myeong-dong, Namdaemun Market and Bukchang-dong Special Tourist Zone]
Areas included: Myeong-dong, Bukchang-dong, Mugyo-dong and Da-dong, Seoul
Area size: 872,809 ㎡
Tourist attractions: Myeong-dong, Namdaemun Market and Bukchang-dong, Department Stores (Lotte Department and Shinsegae Department Store, etc.), Traditional Market, Duty-free Shop, Hanok Village, N Seoul Tower, etc.

Cheongun Literature Library (청운문학도서관)

5.7Km 2023-08-16

40 , Jahamun-ro 36-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Cheongun Literature Library is located at the foot of Inwangsan Mountain and can be reached by following the mountain's walking trail starting from Changuimun Gate along the fortress wall. This public hanok library is designed in consideration of the sloped topography and the natural scenery of Inwangsan Mountain. The library consists of two floors: an underground floor and a ground floor. While the ground floor is designed as a traditional hanok, the underground floor is made of concrete to support the hanok building and the spacious outdoor yard. By implementing the natural slope in the library's design, the underground southern entrance is exposed, allowing sunlight to enter. The underground floor features a wide collection of books while the ground floor serves as a place for reading. The natural environment surrounding the library adds to the hanok building's traditional and peaceful charms.

Ewha Centennial Hall (이화여고100주년기념관)

5.7Km 2024-02-20

26 Jeongdong-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul

Ewha Centennial Hall is a multimedia education center located next to Ewha Girls' High School. Spanning underground and five above-ground floors, it features a gallery, a cafe, music rooms, individual practice rooms, and audio-visual rooms. The Hwaham Hall on the first and second floors is utilized for performances such as musicals and concerts, as well as educational events.

Namsan Library (서울특별시교육청 남산도서관)

5.7Km 2021-07-07

109, Sowol-ro, Yongsan-gu, Seoul
+82-2-754-7338

Namsan Library opened as Kyeongseong Prefectural Library in 1922 as a public library in Myeong-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul. The library was moved to the current site in 1964 with a newly built building and its name changed to Namsan Library in 1965. This concrete building was built in 1964 and was designed by architect Lee Haeseong. It was designated as Seoul Future Heritage in 2013, credited for its preservation value.
It is comprised of 19 rooms and educational areas including the Humanity and Social Science Hall, Nature Science Hall, Language and Literature Hall, Electronic Information Room and more. Since opening, the library has collected nearly 500,000 books, 16,000 non-book materials, 700 continuing resources, and other special materials like old books, oriental books (including Japanese books), and more. Namsan Library also operates a reading treatment program unique to this library that began in 2005. The program includes remodeling of reading consultation room, training for people in charge of reading treatment, workshops, programs for individuals and groups. Also, various exhibitions, lectures, shows, cultural classes and other events are available all year long to enhance lifelong education.

Korean National Police Heritage Museum (경찰박물관)

5.7Km 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.

Korea Samgyetang (고려삼계탕)

5.7Km 2024-06-19

1 Seosomun-ro 11-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul
+82-2-752-9376

Located near City Hall Station, Korea Samgyetang specializes in samgyetang. Samgyetang is a traditional healthy dish made by simmering cleaned young chicken in a broth with ginseng, jujube, and glutinous rice. The light and tender texture of the stewed chicken and the ginseng-flavored glutinous rice porridge is excellent. Ogolgye tang (silkie chicken soup) and jeonbok samgye tang (abalone and ginseng chicken soup) are also favorites among patrons. This restaurant was selected for the Michelin Guide Seoul in 2023.

Club Espresso (클럽에스프레소)

5.7Km 2024-02-20

132 Changuimun-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Club Espresso is a café that opened in 1990, constructed with red bricks. They roast their own coffee beans, offering a diverse coffee menu. The Moon Blend, a blend of Colombian, Brazilian, Ethiopian, and Guatemalan beans, is a favorite among regulars and is made with the coffee bean ratio favored by former President Moon Jae-in. Nearby attractions include the Yun Dongju Hill (Cheongun Park) and the Yun Dong-ju Literary Museum, dedicated to the poet beloved by Koreans.

Jaha Sonmandu (자하손만두)

5.7Km 2024-03-06

12 Baekseokdong-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-379-2648

Jaha Sonmandu is a mandu specialty restaurant located in Buam-dong. Their signature dish is mandu guk (mandu soup), which features dumplings filled with beef, pork, mung beans, and bean curd, boiled in a clear broth. The chewy mandu skin and the clean-tasting broth, flavored with homemade soy sauce, are highlights of the dish. Housed in a renovated residential building, the restaurant offers a refined yet homey atmosphere for dining. Through the windows, diners can enjoy a refreshing view of Inwangsan Mountain.

Appenzeller Noble Memorial Museum (배재학당 역사 박물관)

5.7Km 2022-10-14

19, Seosomun-ro 11-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul
+82-2-319-5578

The Appenzeller Noble Memorial Museum is dedicated to Henry Gerhart Appenzeller, the missionary who opened the first Western-style educational institution in Korea in 1885. The school started with English and core subjects, but expanded into the Pai Chai University, Pai Chai High School, and Pai Chai Middle School and has many famous alumni, including Rhee Syng-man. The memorial hall opened in 2008 in the east wing of the original school building, which was built in 1916 and designated as a Seoul Monument. With dynamically arranged permanent exhibitions, annual special exhibitions and special lectures, the museum offers a unique learning experience to visitors and people with an interest in the history of education in Korea.

Sungnyemun Gate (숭례문) - Area information - Korea travel information