Seoul ①

Here is my second recommendation; SEOUL(서울). As like many know, Seoul is the capital of Korea. The word 'Seoul' means capital in traditional Korean. Seoul is a city in which the Hangang (River) flows through, from east to west, and is surrounded by great mountains, and the city contains both history and tradition, as well as the latest IT technology, making it a kind of a city which is quite rare anywhere on the globe.

Location: Central west on the Korean Peninsula

Weather: Seoul has four very distinct seasons, with spring and fall being quite mild, summer hot and humid and winter being sold and dry. In August, which marks real summer in Seoul, the temperature reaches above 30℃, but the average temperature remains at around 11℃, which is considered to be lower than other cities. Average annual rainfall is around 1,370mm, and the rainfall from June to September makes up 70% of the figure.

Map: http://maps.visitseoul.net/index.jsp?lang=eng

WHAT TO SEE

1. Palaces

1) Gyeonghuigung

The palace was originally constructed by order of King Gwanghae, the fifteenth king of the Joseon Dynasty, and was completed in 1623. Most of Gyeonghuigung's buildings were relocated to Gyeongbokgung during the 19th century reconstruction. During their occupation of Korea, the Japanese dismantled much of Gyeonghuigung in order to build Gyeongseong Middle School for Japanese citizens in 1910. Later on, after years of neglect, the remaining buildings of the palace, such as Sungjeongjeon (Hall), were demolished, and the site was reduced to half its original size. In 1987, Seoul Metropolitan Government began a restoration project, and, after years of careful work, the main part of the building officially reopened to the public in 2002. At present, many other palace buildings are still undergoing restoration.

Address: 1-126, Sinmunno 2(ⅰ)-ga, Jongno-gu, Seoul

2) Deoksugung

Deoksugung (Palace) is unique among Korean palaces in having a modern seal engraving and a western style garden and fountain. Medieval and modern style architecture exists together in harmony in Deoksugung. The Changing of the Royal Guard can be seen in front of Daehanmun (Gate) and is a very popular event for many visitors.

Address: 58 Taepyeongno  2(ⅰ)-ga, Jung-gu, Seoul







3) Changdeokgung

Changdeokgung is also known as Donggwol, the Eastern Palace, because of its location to the east of Gyeongbokgung. For 270 years, the palace was home to the Joseon government and was also the favored residence of many Joseon Dynasty kings. This makes Changdeokgung the longest-serving royal residential palace. Compared to other palaces, Changdeokgung is well-preserved and still has many of its original features. A particular virtue of Changdeokgung is the way its buildings blend into the surrounding landscape. The palace's rear garden, Huwon, is considered an excellent example of Korean garden design and is the only rear garden of any Korean palace. In 1997, Changdeokgung was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Address: 2-71 Waryong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul



Next post will be ENTERTAINMENT in SEOUL! :D


http://www.visitseoul.net/en/index.do?_method=main