Myeong-Dong and Namsan (Seoul)
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Myeong-dong and Namsan (Seoul) 1. Hwangudan 2. Myeong-dong 3. Myeongdong Theatre 4. Myeong-dong Cathedral 5. Korea Postage Stamp Museum 6. Bank of Korea Money Museum 7. Namdaemun Market 8. Sungnyemun Gate 9. Culture Station Seoul 284 10. Ahn Jung-Geun Memorial Hall—Introduction 11. Ahn Jung-Geun Memorial Hall—Exhibit Halls 12. Namsan Bongsudae Beacon Tower 13. Namsan Palgakjeong Pavilion 14. N Seoul Tower 15. Seoul City Wall - Namsan Mountain Trail 16 남Namsangol Hanok Village—Introduction 17. Namsangol Hanok Village—Traditional Korean Houses 18. Jangchungdan Park - 1 - An altar representing the dreams of the Great 1. Hwangudan Korean Empire The first character of the altar’s name means “circular” or “round” hence Hwangudan translates to “round altar.” The altar was built to protect the king’s authority at the end of the 19th century, when King Gojong’s power was being threatened. Here, Gojong declared Joseon as the “Daehan Empire,” offered a ritual to the heavens, and was proclaimed as emperor. In 1910, Japan took over Joseon and began building Western-style buildings in Seoul to assert their power. In the process, Hwangudan was destroyed and a hotel was built in its place. Today, Hwanggungu, a three-storied octagonal shrine, remains along with a gate and three drums with dragon decorations. The drums were constructed in 1902 inside Hwangudan Altar to commemorate Emperor Gojong’s 40-year reign. The stairs of the arched gate in front of Hwanggungu, which enshrines ancestral tablets for the gods of heaven, had a central stone slab called the “Dapdo” for the Emperor to walk on. The stone fence is adorned with stone statues of Haechi, a mythological animal believed to offer protection against fire and disasters. Hwanggungu enshrines the ancestral tablets for the gods of heaven and it is lit by natural sunlight coming in from the 24 windows on the third level. On the ceiling, there is a painting of a “Chil-jo-Ryong,” a dragon with seven claws. This dragon symbolizes the authority of the King of Joseon or the Emperor of the Daehan Empire, and Korea’s desire to become a great nation. - 2 - A major shopping and economic hub of 2. Myeong-dong Korea The streets of Myeong-dong are always crowded with s h o p p e r s , couples, office workers, and tourists. Popular fashion brands, famous Korean cosmetics stores, and great tasting food can be found here. The modernization of Myeong-dong began in the 1920s. With Cheonggye Stream dividing the city, the people of Joseon settled north of the stream while the Japanese settled south of the stream. Located south of Cheonggyecheon, Myeong-dong was developed into a commercial district by Japanese residents. In 1945 (the year Korea gained independence from Japan), plenty of small theatres opened up, thereby attracting many actors, musicians and artists to the area. The coffee shops and bars were frequented by artists discussing and sharing their talents, eventually making Myeong-dong the center of Korean arts and culture. In the 1960s, redevelopment took place and all the coffee shops and theaters were replaced by commercial stores, making Myeong-dong the main shopping district that it is today. Today, shopping malls, cosmetics stores, currency exchange stalls, coffee shops and restaurants can be found all around UNESCO Street, Myeong-dong 8-gil Street, Quan Chen Ru Street and the other major streets of Myeong-dong. Between 5pm and 11 pm, the streets become even more livelier with street performances and street vendors. - 3 - The beginning of arts and culture in 3. Myeongdong Theatre Myeong-dong Designed by Ishibashi Ryosuke, Myeongdong Theater opened its doors for the first time in 1934 as a movie theater called “Meiji jwa.” After the independence of Korea, the name was changed to Sigongkwan and it became a venue for live performances.Beginning 1957, the theater served as the National Theatre. After the National Theater moved to Jangchung-dong, the building was sold to a finance company. With the commercialization of Myeong-dong, artists left the area and the buildings became office space. Myeongdong Theatre also lost its place as the center of the arts. The Theater was about to be torn down in the 1990s but locals and artists who still cared for the theater fought to save it. The Korean government purchased the building in 2003, and after undergoing renovations, it finally opened its doors once again as a theater in 2009. The Baroque-style exterior was preserved and only the interior was renovated. On the roof of the theatre is a dome-shaped glass structure that symbolizes the “light of culture.” The sunlight passing through the glass brings light and warmth to the audience. The seats are situated close to the stage, allowing the audience to get a closer look at the actors and performers. - 4 - 4. Myeong-dong Cathedral The symbol of the Korean Catholic Church Located on the highest hill in Myeong-dong, Myeong-dong Cathedral is the seat of the Archbishop of Seoul. It became even more famous after the Pope’s visit in 2014. The Cathedral was designed by the French priest Father Coste, and constructed by Korean Catholic volunteers with the help of skilled bricklayers from the Qing Dynasty of China. The building was completed in 1898. It consists of a 45-meter-high (148 feet) bell tower, the main sanctuary, and an underground sanctuary. The bell is rung three times a day as a reminder for prayer time. The stained glass window of the chapel illuminates the gray brick columns and creates a serene and tranquil atmosphere. By the choir platform on the second floor is the first pipe organ to be installed in a Catholic church in Korea. Remains of the five saints and four martyrs are enshrined in the underground sanctuary. Behind the main chapel is a statue of the Virgin Mary, the Patroness of Korea and people’s guardian during the pro-democracy movement in the 1970s and 1980s. - 5 - History of Korean postal services 5. Korea Postage Stamp Museum and postage stamps Located on the basement level of the Korea Post Tower, the Korea Postage Stamp Museum displays all the postage stamps that have been printed in Korea, as well as stamps from around the world. Here, you can see the world’s first postage stamp, “Penny Black,” and Korea’s first postage stamp, “Moonwe Stamp.” In the exhibition room, you can see how Korean postmen and the postal services have changed over the years. Through the changes you can also see how the Korean society and culture have progressed. Unique stamps from around the world like vinyl record stamps, 3-dimensional stamps, hologram stamps, coded stamps, and many more can be seen at the museum. The cartoon character stamps section is very popular among kids. You can also make your very own stamp here. - 6 - 6. Bank of Korea Money Museum Money and Humanity Construction of this Renaissance-style building began in 1907. The building was originally intended to be used for The First National Bank of Japan. Halfway through the construction, the Bank of Joseon purchased the site. Construction was completed and the building was used as the head office of the Bank of Joseon from 1912 onwards. In 1945, the bank changed its name to the Bank of Korea. In 2000, it was renovated and reopened as the Bank of Korea Money Museum. The museum consists of two exhibition halls: one on the first floor and one on the second floor. The first floor takes you through the history of Korean currency and other currencies from around the world. You’ll also find ancient Japanese coins and a currency plate from China. If you have any Korean bills, try scanning them through the counterfeit detector to check whether your money is real or not. On the second floor, you will find a model of a vault. You can take pictures holding bags of money in front of the vault. There is also a digital money waterfall, in which you can put your hand to touch the money of the country you want to learn about. If you touch the money, the information corresponding to the country you chose will pop up on the screen. On the hallway of the second floor is a bench made of recycled money. If you sit on the bench, you’d be sitting on approximately 86 million won! - 7 - 7. Namdaemun Market 600-year-old Traditional Market In 1414, Joseon Dynasty’s King Taejong established a market in the Namdaemun area of the Seoul City Wall where circulation of goods and commodities was greatest. The government built shops around Namdaemun and rented out the shops to traders. Word spread very fast and soon enough, the market thrived with merchants and goods from around the nation. In the wake of the Korean War, items from American military bases including chocolates, army supplies, cameras, watches, and other imported goods began to circulate secretly in the market. Whenever officers would enter the market, traders would instantly pack up and disappear. Over a period of 40 years, the city of Seoul redeveloped and modernized the market little by little. New buildings were erected, and the Namdaemun Market you see today was completed in 2005. The Namdaemun Market houses over 10,000 shops that carry mostly children’s clothing, accessories, eye glasses and cameras. But with the increasing number of foreign tourists, shops selling traditional Korean goods like dried seaweed and ginseng have also increased. The back alleys lined with delicious eateries also attract plenty of visitors. Home-made noodle soup, braised cutlass fish, king-sized dumplings, and fried fish cakes are just a few of the mouthwatering dishes you’ll find here.