Unhyeongung Palace also known as Unhyeongung Royal Residence is the palace that King Gojong lived in before he acceded to the throne. The palace was built in 1864 and in 1869 more buildings were added. Although being the house of a high ranking official, Unhyeongung is similar to an inner palace. However, unlike the other [...]]]>

Unhyeongung Palace

Unhyeongung Palace also known as Unhyeongung Royal Residence is the palace that King Gojong lived in before he acceded to the throne. The palace was built in 1864 and in 1869 more buildings were added. Although being the house of a high ranking official, Unhyeongung is similar to an inner palace. However, unlike the other main palaces Changdeokgung and Gyeongbokgung, Unhyeongung is simple in design and use of colour. It was at this residence on March 21st, 1866 that the Royal wedding ceremony of King Gojong and Empress Myeongseong took place. A reenactment of this ceremony takes place twice a year. The next reenactment will be on Sat, Sept 24 at 14:00.

Unhyeongung was damaged during the Japanese colonial period and the Korean War. The Unhyeongung Royal Residence seen today is a much smaller version of the majestic structure that it used to be.

Unhyeongung Palace is a great place to see the living arrangements of the King, Queen, family and servants. A lot of the rooms at Unhyeongung Residence have been set up to show what it looked liked when the King and Queen resided there. Also at Unhyeongung you can find an Artifact Exhibition hall and Project Exhibition Hall. At the Project Exhibition Hall many events are held here monthly e.g Ceramics Exhibition, Hanji Craft Exhibition, Culture class Exhibition and many more. Like most other palaces you can try on some traditional Korean clothing.

Opening Hours / Admission:
Closed every Monday.
November – March: 09:00 ~ 18:00
April – October: 09:00 ~ 19:00

Admission:
Adults, 25 to 64: 700 won
Youths, 13 tp 24: 300 won
Under 12, Over 65: Free
From 12 – 13:00 everyday the palace is open for free so people can relax during their lunch breaks.

How to get to Unhyeongung Palac:
Take line 3 to Anguk station and leave exit 4. Unhyeongung will be right in front of you.

The Seoul Education Museum was opened on June 15th, 1995.  The museum was opened as a specialized museum of education that displays a total of 12,742 items. The museum looks at the role and history of education in Korea from the Three Kingdom period (285 AD) to present.

A lot of changes have taken place [...]]]>

Seoul Education Museum

The Seoul Education Museum was opened on June 15th, 1995.  The museum was opened as a specialized museum of education that displays a total of 12,742 items. The museum looks at the role and history of education in Korea from the Three Kingdom period (285 AD) to present.

A lot of changes have taken place with the education system in Korea in the past 150 years. Many universities began opening in the late 19th century with help from Christian missionaries. Following the Japanese occupation of Korea the education system was changed. The education under Japanese colonial rule focused more on Japan’s history, the Japanese writing system while neglecting Korea’s history and culture. After independence from Japan the U.S heavily influenced the education system in Korea and new laws were brought about such as compulsory education. Tragedy stuck again with the education system as most schools were closed or destroyed during the Korean War.

The museum is quite small (597.07 m2) but still has a good display of books, documents, teaching and writing tools. The museum is a tranquil spot where you can see the role and power of education and how it made Korea the country that it is today.

Opening hours / Admission:
Weekdays: 09:00am – 18:00
Weekends: 09:00am – 17:00
Closed on public holidays and the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of every month.

Admission is free.

How to get to the Seoul Education Museum:
Take line 3 to Anguk station and leave exit 1. Take your second right and head straight.

Cheonggyecheon river is 8.4km long and located in downtown Seoul, Korea. During the past 40  years Cheonggyecheon river had been covered up, neglected and a highway was built over it. In July 2003, then Seoul Mayor, Lee Myung-bak initiated a restoration project which took 2 years to complete and cost over 386 billion won. This [...]]]>

Cheonggyecheon Stream Main Entrance

Cheonggyecheon river is 8.4km long and located in downtown Seoul, Korea. During the past 40  years Cheonggyecheon river had been covered up, neglected and a highway was built over it. In July 2003, then Seoul Mayor, Lee Myung-bak initiated a restoration project which took 2 years to complete and cost over 386 billion won. This was criticised at the time but now locals and tourists enjoy the river everyday.

The river has a path on both sides and decorated with art, statues or special themes for events. At night-time parts of the river light up and you can enjoy a laser show.

At the start of the stream close to Gwanghwamun station special events and concerts are held.

The recommended walk for people is to arrive at Gwanghwamun station. Take the exit Gwanghwamun and start your journey. You can follow the course until it meets up with the Han River. On the way you will notice many interesting art pieces, people having picnics or learn about Korean history. For more information about events and walking courses you should take a look at the official site http://english.sisul.or.kr/grobal/cheonggye/eng/WebContent/index.html

How to get Cheonggyecheon River / Stream:

As the river is very long there are many starting points:

Subway Line 1: City Hall Station, Jonggak Station, Jongno 3-ga Station, Jongno 5-ga Station, Dongdaemun Station, Sinseoldong Station
Line 2: Euljiro 1-ga Station, Euljiro 3-ga Station, Euljiro 4-ga Station, Sindang Station, Sangwangsibni Station
Line 3: Jongno 3-ga Station
Line 4: Dongdaemun History & Culture Park Station
Line 5: Gwanghwamun Station <- main starting point
Exit towards Cheonggyecheon Stream

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