Royal Culture Festival (궁중문화축전)

688.7M 24910 2024-07-17

161 Sajik-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-1522-2295

The Royal Culture festival is held at the five Royal Palaces and Jongmyo Shrine. The festival first began in 2014 and provides visitors with first-hand knowledge of these important cultural heritages through unique performances, exhibitions, experiences and programs. The festival expanded in 2021 to be hosted twice a year, in spring and in fall.

Sungkok Art Museum (성곡미술관)

697.0M 14248 2021-02-10

42, Gyeonghuigung-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-737-7650

Sungkok Art Museum was founded in 1995 by the Korean corporation Ssangyong to promote Korean art. The gallery offers a special exhibition featuring modern artworks of Korean artists, as well as competitions and sponsorships to develop Korean art. In addition to the main building, there is an annex, as well as a tea house and art shop.

Gwanghwamun Gate (광화문)

781.3M 154064 2022-12-14

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.

Jihwaja (지화자)

811.4M 39855 2024-03-18

125 Jahamun-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-2269-5834

Jihwaja is a traditional Korean restaurant operated by a successor of Joseon dynasty royal dishes. Their manchan course (full course) includes menus served at royal banquets such as gungjung manchan (royal course), Jineo-byul manchan (deluxe royal degustation course), and janggeum manchan (daejanggeum degustation course) courses. The janggeum course reconstructs dishes from the drama "Dae Jang Geum." For the Jeongchan course (Set menu), they offer so galbi sura (grilled beef ribs course), jeonbok cho sura (braised abalones in soy sauce course), so galbi jjim sura (braised beef short ribs course), and haemul sinseollo sura (seafood hot pot course). Additionally, they serve milk porridge, meat and vegetable skewers, mandu, royal hot pot, and grilled marinated beef.

Inwangsan Mountain Chosochaekbang (인왕산 더숲 초소책방)

823.4M 1 2024-03-06

172 Inwangsan-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Inwangsan Mountain Chosochaekbang is a bakery and book café located along the trail of Inwangsan Mountain, remodeled from an old police station. Surrounded by glass walls within the forest, it blends seamlessly with nature, offering a panoramic view of Namsan Tower through the transparent windows. On the second floor terrace, guests can enjoy the scenic view of Seoul. Freshly baked bread and desserts are available daily, and the venue occasionally hosts book talks and music concerts.

Inwangsan Mountain (인왕산)

833.9M 82971 2024-03-04

San 2-1, Muak-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-2148-2834

Inwangsan Mountain is a rocky mountain located to the northwestern side of Seoul. It stands 338m tall. The Seoul City Wall is built along its ridge, connecting to the Baegak Mountain Trail. From the summit, one can see the three mountains of Naksan Mountain, Namsan Mountain, and the Bugaksan Mountain surrounding the historical center of Hanyang, the historical name for Seoul in Joseon period, with the Gyeongbokgung Palace at the center. There are five hiking trails, all taking about two hours to complete. It takes about three hours if you want to visit all the peaks of the mountain.

Beodeul Maru - Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation Branch [Tax Refund Shop] (한국문화재재단 버들마루)

839.5M 0 2024-04-17

37, Samcheong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul

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Inwangsa Temple (인왕사 (서울))

865.1M 14328 2020-04-02

16-1, Tongil-ro 18ga-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-737-4434

Inwangsa Temple refers to the entire cluster of small Buddhist temples located on Inwangsan Mountain (alt. 338m) in the heart of Seoul. The eastern foot of the mountain has many scenic spots with its distinctively cozy and tasteful atmosphere, and the northern area called Mugye-dong also offers beautiful scenery. Inwangsa Temple was established in the early Joseon period (1392-1910) to guard the national palace Gyeongbokbung. The temple is comprised of 11 shrines from five different Buddhist orders. The unique design of each shrine adds pleasure to hikers on their way up to Seonbawi, an unusual rock formation that is a site of many folk beliefs and shamanist rites.

The Children’s Museum of the National Folk Museum of Korea (국립민속박물관&국립민속박물관 어린이박물관)

877.6M 0 2024-03-04

37 Samcheong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul

The Children’s Museum of the National Folk Museum of Korea, located within Gyeongbokgung Palace, showcases artifacts related to Korean traditional culture. This interactive museum allows children to experience and learn about various aspects of Korean traditional clothing, food, society, culture, and games firsthand. Especially catering to children from Asian countries, there is a service for renting items, and reservations are required for admission.

National Folk Museum of Korea (국립민속박물관)

880.4M 173587 2019-03-19

37, Samcheong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Located inside Gyeongbokgung Palace, the National Folk Museum of Korea presents historical artifacts that were used in the daily lives of Korean people in the past. Through the displays, visitors can learn about the domestic and agricultural lifestyles, as well as Korea’s cultural beliefs.

The National Folk Museum of Korea has three permanent exhibitions and two special exhibitions as well as a library, souvenir shop, and other subsidiary facilities.

Royal Culture Festival (궁중문화축전) - Area information - Korea travel information