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Main Tourist Attractions in Course

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  Gyeonghuigung (Gyeonghui Palace)

  The palace was originally constructed by order of King Gwanghae, the 15th king of the Joseon Dynasty, and was completed in 1623. From the beginning it was much-loved and served as a secondary palace for the king. About ten different kings of the Joseon Dynasty stayed at Gyeonghuigung. It was also called "Seogweol" (which means "palace of the west") because it is located west of the main palace, Gyeongbokgung. In its heyday it was a vast complex, with 100 buildings in total, but much of these were destroyed during the Japanese occupation. Following intensive restoration work, it reopened to the public in 2002. On its grounds stand the Seoul Museum of History and the Gyeonghuigung Annex Building of the Seoul Museum of Art.

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  Gyeonggyojang

  Designated as Seoul Tangible Cultural Property No. 129, Gyeonggyojang was constructed in 1938 by Choe Chang-hak, "the King of the Goldmines", a man who became wealthy through gold mining. Choe Chang-hak was condemned for collaborating with the Japanese, during which time the building became the home and office of Korean independence activist and last president of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea, “Baekbeom” Kim Gu. It was where he lived until the day he was assassinated on June 26, 1949.

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  Seoul Seonggwak (Fortress Wall)

  Designated Historic Site No. 10, Seoul Seonggwak is an 18.2km fortress wall that surrounds the city, built during the Joseon Dynasty. Along its length are four large gates and four small gates. The popular mountain ridge trail that follows along the well-preserved seonggwak commands spectacular panoramic views of midtown Seoul.

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  House of Hong Nanpa

  The House of Hong Nanpa is a brick Western-style building constructed in the 1930s by a German missionary. It was then acquired by the musical composer, Hong Nanpa. This house is historically significant because it is an example of the architecture that was characteristic of Western-style houses in the 1930s in Korea, in addition to being the location where many of Hong Nanpa's major works were composed.

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  Site of the House of General Gweon Yul

  This site is where the house of General Gweon Yul, a scholar that lived during the mid-Joseon Dynasty once stood.

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  Dongnimmun (Independence Gate)

  Designated as Historical Site No. 32, this gate is a memorial gate that was built following the first Sino-Japanese war to inspire a spirit of independence away from previous Korean arrangement as a Chinese protectorate. Its construction began on November 21, 1896, and finished November 20, 1897, and was modeled after the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, France. Dongnimmun was built at the former site of Yeongeunmun, the gate at which Chinese envoys were once traditionally received by the king, and was a symbol of diplomatic relation between Korea and Qing Dynasty.

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  Seodaemun Independence Park

  Seodaemun Independence Park is a historic cultural site that features several historic monuments and buildings including Dongnimmun (Independence Gate), Independence Hall, and the Declaration of Independence Monument. It also houses many memorials and statues to commemorate the activists who fought for Korea’s independence during the Japanese occupation such as the Seodaemun Prison History Museum, a memorial museum that was once one of the prisons from that era.