Jongno-gu - Northern Seoul

 


Located north of Jong-ro (Jongno Avenue), Jongno-gu (Jongno District) is home to many of Seoul's most important historic and cultural landmarks. These include Gyeongbokgung Palace, several Hanok Villages—traditional Korean neighborhoods featuring hanok (한옥), Korean-style houses built with wood, clay, stone, and hanji (traditional Korean paper)—as well as historic temples, shrines, and Confucian academies. The district offers a fascinating blend of royal history, traditional architecture, and cultural heritage.

Approaching Gyeongbokgung Palace from City Hall.

















The National Folk Museum of Korea.






















Bukchon Hanok Village is very touristy, but it is still a residential area.
























One of the main Buddhist sites of Seoul is Jogyesa Temple.



















A pedestrian street and Hanok-style houses turned into restaurants and cafés in the Insadong neighborhood. 














Located between Insadong and Ikseon-dong, Tapgol Park features a 10-story stone pagoda from 1467, originally part of Wongaksa Temple, which no longer exists.




Ikseon-dong features another Hanok village, but all traditional houses were turned into cafés, restaurants and shops.








Little east of Ikseon-dong, the Jongmyo Shrine is the oldest and most important Confucian royal shrine in Korea, dedicated to the ancestral spirits of the Joseon Dynasty (1392–1897).







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