Gyeonggi-do

Temporary Palace at Hwaseong Fortress (Hwaseong Haenggung Palace) (화성행궁) – Homepage www.suwon.go.kr A haenggung is a temporary palace where the king and royal family retreated to during a war. Hwaseong Haenggung Palace is the largest one of these, used by the Joseon kings since the time of King Jeongjo (r. 1776-1800). In addition to being…

Suwon Arboretum Irwol (일월수목원) – Homepage www.suwon.go.kr Suwon Arboretum Irwol is an urban arboretum in Suwon that is an ecological landmark. It features a variety of gardens, including a forest garden, conifer garden, ecological observation garden, meadow garden, dry garden, exhibition greenhouse, shrub garden, and grass garden. The arboretum also includes facilities such as a…

Gwanggyo Lake Park (광교호수공원) – Homepage www.gglakepark.or.kr Gwanggyo Lake Park is the largest lake park in the city center of Korea. The park is designed to blend the scenic nature of Gwanggyosan Mountain and the nearby reservoirs with urban culture. It consists of urban levees and 6 different themed “dumbeong,” the Korean term for a…

Hyowon’s Bell (효원의 종·서장대) – Homepage www.swcf.or.kr Hyowon’s Bell is located at the summit of Paldalsan Mountain. The bell was created to honor the filial devotion of King Jeongjo towards his father, Crown Prince Sado. The bell has various symbols representing the city of Suwon and its cultural assets. The bell is always rung three…

Suwon Chicken Street (수원통닭거리) – Homepage www.suwon.go.kr Suwon Chicken Street, located in a small 100 m-long alley on Paldal-ro, Paldal-gu, Suwon, is where about 11 stores, ranging from the original store that opened in 1970 to new ones, serve fried whole chicken. It is the tradition of Suwon Chicken Street to pour oil into a…

Banghwasuryujeong Pavilion (방화수류정(동북각루)) – Homepage www.suwon.go.kr – Tel +82-31-228-4672 Banghwasuryujeong Pavilion, officially called Dongbukgangnu Pavilion, was built in 1794 during the construction of Suwon Hwaseong Fortress. It sits atop a hill east of Hwahongmun Gate and offers beautiful views of the surrounding scenery. For this reason, the pavilion received the nickname Banghwasuryujeong, meaning a pavilion…

Waujeongsa Temple (Yongin) (와우정사(용인)) – Homepage 용인관광 www.yongin.go.kr/yitour – Tel +82-31-332-2472 Founded in 1970 by displaced North Koreans seeking national reconciliation, Waujeongsa Temple is nestled among the magnificent peaks of Yeonhwasan Mountain. The temple is home to Yeolbanjeon Hall, Daegakjeon Hall, and Beomjonggak Pavilion. Notable among its statues are the twelve-meter-long Reclining Buddha in Yeolbanjeon…

Pocheon Art Valley [Hantangang UNESCO Global Geopark] (포천아트밸리 (한탄강 유네스코 세계지질공원)) – Homepage artvalley.pcfac.or.kr – Tel +82-1668-1035 The green waters of the lake and the sharply cut cliffs above make a picture-perfect landscape. This beautiful scenery, remnant of an old rock quarry, remained relatively unknown until the 1990s, with the opening of Pocheon Art Valley,…

Yeoju Spa (여주온천) – Homepage www.sunvalley.co.kr At Yeoju Spa, the hot spring water emerges from 800 meters below the bedrock, rich in various minerals beneficial for neuralgia, arthritis, and skincare. The water, also drinkable, aids in alleviating digestive issues. The open-air bath’s floor is lined with natural jade, offering a pressure point massage for bare…