Myeongokheon Garden (담양 명옥헌 원림)

13.9Km 2024-10-22

103 Husan-gil, Goseo-myeon, Damyang-gun, Jeollanam-do
+82-61-380-3752

Located in the eco-village of Husan-ri, Myeongokheon Garden was the garden of Oh Hui-do (1583-1623) of the Joseon dynasty and served as a simple, countryside sanctuary where the scholar read and wrote many books. Main features of the garden are the Myeongokheon Pavilion, where the scholar held lectures, and the square-shaped pond in front of the pavilion that is surrounded with graceful flowering trees. The flowering trees around the pond include red pines and crape myrtles. On the right side of Myeongokheon Garden you’ll see a 300 year-old ginkgo tree, which is where King Injo (1623-1649) of the Joseon dynasty tied his horse when he went to visit Oh Hui-do.

Sangnoksu Sanjang (상록수산장)

14.1Km 2024-02-19

378 Yongheungsa-gil, Wolsan-myeon, Damyang-gun, Jeollanam-do

Sangnoksu Sanjang is a restaurant located in the Yongheungsa Valley of Yonggusan Mountain in Damyang. Its signature menu is baeksuk (whole chicken soup). Visitors can enjoy this dish while dipping their feet in the cool waters of the valley during the summer, experiencing the unique Korean tradition of enjoying a healthy meal while refreshing oneself in the clear stream water and lush greenery of the forest.

May 18th National Cemetery (국립 5·18 민주묘지)

14.8Km 2024-07-11

200 Minju-ro, Buk-gu, Gwangju
+82-62-268-0518

The May 18th National Cemetery in Gwangju is a symbol of freedom and democracy. The cemetery holds the graves of 764 victims of the May 18th Democratic Uprising in 1980, seven structures, and many monuments.

Sigyeongjeong Pavilion (담양 식영정)

16.8Km 2025-01-08

Jigok-ri, Damyang-gun, Jeollanam-do
+82-61-380-2811

Designated as the top monument of Jeollanam-do, Sigyeongjeong Pavilion means a place where even the shadow of the moon can find a place to rest. As its name suggests, this pavilion is set in a lush and remote forested area. Countless number of scholars and writers have been attracted to this pavilion as a place of profound inspiration. The pavilion gained more fame from the legendary lyrics of Seongsanbyeolgok written by the poet Jeong Cheol. The elegant words of Kim Seongwon, a literary scholar, depict the scenic beauty of Seongsan Mountain as the seasons change.

Of all the pavilions situated at the basin of the Yeongsangang River the Sigyeongjeong Pavilion is said to be blessed with a breathtaking view from the side. The current building was restored in the early 1900s. At the Sigyeongjeong Pavilion there is the Buyongdang, a monument with the lyrics to the Seongsanbyeolgok Poem, and next to it an old library building called Jangseogak built to preserve the wooden blocks of Songgangjib, a book of poetry written by Jeong Cheol.

Baegyang Tourist Hotel (백양관광호텔)

17.0Km 2025-01-07

941, Baegyang-ro, Jangseong-gun, Jeollanam-do
+82-61-392-2114

Baegyang Tourist Hotel is located next to Baegyangsa Temple at the foothills of Naejangsan Mountain. The rooms offer beautiful views of nature all year round, with some rooms showing the magnificent mountain while others showing a bird's-eye-view of the hotel's garden. The hotel is perfect for family vacations and business trips.

Korea Gasa Literature Collection (한국가사문학관)

17.0Km 2021-09-07

877, Gasamunhak-ro, Damyang-gun, Jeollanam-do
+82-61-380-2701

The Gasa Literature Collection was completed in October 2000 and is located in Damyang, Jeollanam-do, an area which is famous for its fertile land and rich historical heritage. Apart from the main building, additional buildings include a souvenir shop, and traditional tea house. In the museum, historical literature such as “Myeonangjip” (a collection of Gasa poems by Song Sun) and “Songgangjip,” (a collection of Gasa poems by Jeong Cheol) are on display. There are 11,461 artifacts and literature on Gasa culture, 18 Gasa works, and 15,000 books about Gasa.

Damyang Bamboo Forest (Damyang Marsh) (담양대나무숲 - 담양습지)

17.1Km 2025-01-13

656-2, Taemok-ri, Daejeon-myeon, Damnyang-gun, Jeollanam-do
+82-61-380-3114

Situated between Damyang-gun and Gwangju Metropolitan City, Damyang Wetland is one of the best places to experience the ecology of Yeongsangang River. It is a habitat for the hawk, wildcat, Boreal digging frog (endangered species), and kestrel. It became the first river wetland to be designated as a wetland reserve in 2004.

Soswaewon Garden (담양 소쇄원)

17.3Km 2023-01-04

17, Soswaewon-gil, Damyang-gun, Jeollanam-do
+82-61-381-0115

Soswaewon Garden is a private garden from the Joseon period where Korea's traditional beauty is preserved. It was built by Yang San-Bo (1503-1557) after he gave up his success when his mentor Jo Gwang-Jo (1482-1519) was killed during political strife. Soswaewon Garden presents itself as a clean and transparent garden where the righteous enjoy the life of anbinnakdo (being comfortable amid poverty and taking pleasure in an honest lifestyle) surrounded by a bamboo grove.

Including peach trees, various kinds of trees and grass are planted on both sides of the stream while clear water flows down the foot of the garden walls. The log bridge above the valley adds to the charm of the scenery. The harmony between nature and the artificial waterfall is a sight to behold. Soswaewon Garden is 150 meters away from the main road. Passing through the thick bamboo forest, you will find the small valley and Soswaewon Garden on your left.

Hwanbyeokdang Pavilion (환벽당)

17.3Km 2023-01-25

10, Hwanbyeokdang-gil, Buk-gu, Gwangju
+82-62-510-1500

Hwanbyeokdang Pavilion was built by Yeongcheonja Sinjam and was also called Byeokgandang, which is recorded in Go Gyeong-myeong's Yuseoseongnok. The building has a hipped-and-gabled roof with three bays in the front space and two bays in the inside space. It is a modified form in which the two rooms in the middle are used as rooms, and the front and right sides are floors. Originally, it was a traditional pavilion, but it seems to have changed to its current form as it was expanded later. A tablet written by Uam Song Si-yeol hangs here, and the poems of Seokcheon Im Eok-ryeong and Jo Ja-i are on a signboard. There are two poems written by Jeong Cheol about Hwanbyeokdang Pavilion, which are published in Songgangsokjip and Gwangjumokji. Jeong Cheol's 4th-generation descendant Jeong Su-hwan bought it from Kim Yun-je's descendants, and Yeon Il-jeong's family is currently managing it.

Gwangjuho Lake (광주호)

17.6Km 2020-06-09

Chunghyo-dong, Buk-gu, Gwangju
+82-62-266-0032

Gwangjuho Lake is located at the base of the Mudeungsan Mountain, which creates a beautiful view. Many people come to the lake not only for the relaxing setting, but also for fishing. Near the upper stream of the lake there are beautiful arbors built during the Joseon dynasty that display the traditional garden culture of that time. One of these arbors is the Sikyeongjeong Pavilion, a historic site written about by Jeong Cheol, a famous statesman and poet during Joseon dynasty.

Myeongokheon Garden (담양 명옥헌 원림) - Area information - Korea travel information