Historical Attraction

Hongnung, Yurung
Hongnung-yunung (tombs), which enshrine the last two emperors and empresses of the Chosun Dynasty (A.D.1392-A.D.1911) is designated as the 207th of Cultural Property. Hongnung is the tomb of the 26th Emperor of the Chosun Dynasty, Kojong (1852-1919) and Empress Myongsong(1851-1895).

Empress Myongsong was assassinated at Kyongbokgung Palace in 1895, and her funeral was held in Chongnyangni, Seoul. Hongnung is where she lies. When Emperor Kojong passed away in 1919, Hongnung (Tomb) was moved to where it is located now from Chongnyangni.

Prehistoric Residential Site at Amsa-dong
Amsa-dong prehistoric housing site is the place where Korean ancestors of Neolithic age lived about 6,000 years ago. This is the largest housing site of Neolithic period in Korea.

This site is one of the most important prehistoric relics located next to the assets of Bronze age. Besides, archeological materials proving the start of agriculture have been found. This site began to be recognized when many pieces of comb-patterned pottery had appeared around the damaged sand hill area of Hangang due to the flood in 1925.

Since 1967, it has been excavated several times. As a result, numerous comb-patterned pottery and stonewares have been found along with the relics of Bronze age. The representative stonewares include the stone ax and the stone point which are assumed to be used at hunting and peeling the skin of animals captured.

Through the restoration work, the 8 huts and 1 storage hallow of Neolithic age have been recovered. In addition, the exhibition hall has been built to display the relics dug out. A number of convenient facilities including parking lot and trails are also built. Completed in 1988, Amsadong prehistoric housing site has been open to the public for free and designated as Historic sites No.27.

T'aegangnung
They call T'aerung which bowed queen Munjong(1501-1565), step-queen Chungjong , Choson dynasty 11th king(1534-1567) and Kangnung which bowed 13th king Myongjong and his queen Insun(1532-1575). Queen Munjong was a daughter of P'asanbuwon-gun(prime minister) Yun Chi-im and dedicated to queen in Chungjong 12 (1517).

She governed for 8 year when Myongjong rised to the crown at young age of 12 years old. Also she believed the Buddhism truly and trusted monk, Pou and set monk official exam, had interest in Buddhism policy. she died at Ch'angdukkung Sodoktang in Myongjong 20 (1656). Myongjong was the secong son of Chungjong and brother of Injo , rised to the crown in Kyongbokkung Kunjongjon at 12 years old. He ruled his mother family at balance and selected the personnel and governed well but died in Kyongbokgund Yangshimdang at 34 years old (1567).

Queen Insun was a daughter of Ch'ongnungbuwon-gun(prime minister) Shimgang and dedicated to the queen at 15 years old. She governed for a moment when Sonjo rised to the crown in 1567 and died in Ch'anggyonggung Tongmyongjon in Sonjo 8(1575).

Chongmyo
This is a shrine where the ancestral tablets of the kings and queens for generation of Choson Dynasty has been enshrined. Kings of Choson have performed a religious service for their ancestors here.

King T'aejo, the founder of Choson, built Chongmyo in the west of the capital Hanyang-the old name of Seoul-and Sajiktan in the east the first thing right after he had established the new nation. That means Chongmyo symbolized the sovereign powers of the nation which stood on the basis of Confucianism.

Chongmyo is the place of eternity which shows extremely refined construction style, solemn ritual ceremony and occult atmosphere. It should not to be too gaudy for it was used for ritual. For that reason, every building in Chongmyo is extremely simple and moderate. In Confucian society, a kind of dualism was a common belief that if a man died, he is divided into two, namely Hon or spirit and Paek or body, and Hon goes to heaven while Paek returns to earth. Shrine was a place for Hon and tomb for Paek.

Every construction feature of Chongmyo reflects the idea and order of Confucian philosophy. Korean Chongmyo has got unique styles like 19 rooms of T'aeshil, long from left to right that emphasis horizontal line. Those aspects are different from China, the birthplace of this system, needless to say that similar example has been found nowhere in western area. It was named as one of the world's cultural assets by UNESCO in 1995.

Ch'angdokkung
Ch'angdokkung is one of the five great palaces of the Choson Dynasty. It is also an excellent example of the traditional Korean architecture. It was built as a detached palace for the crown prince in 1405. Especially, the back garden in the palace is well-known as an extraordinary example of the Korean traditional naturalistic landscape design. Ch'angdokkung is ideally located : to the east is Ch'anggyonggung, to the southeast is Chongmyo (royal family's ancestral shrines), and to the west is the official royal residence, Kyongbokkung.

The main structures of Ch'angdokkung are Tonhwamun, the beautiful granite bridge Kumch'on-gyo, the king's office Injongjon hall, the royal residence Sonjongjon, and the queen's residence Taejojon. There are also other buildings, such as Yonghwadang, Yonkyongdang, Huijongdang, and Puyongjong near the Puyongji. Tourists who want to visit Ch'angdokkung must follow the scheduled opening hours. A tour guide is available. Not all the buildings are open to tourists.

Kyongbokkung
Kyongbokkung is a palace of ancient Choson Dynasty. It was built by King T'aejo the very founder of Choson Dynasty as a symbol of the new dynasty in 1395 after he establish Choson and moved the capital from old Kaesong, which had been the capital of former Koryo, to new place.

It had been the most important thing of the nation, where a king had the sovereign power, to decide the capital and establish a new palace. Because the palace was the place for a king to live and manage the affairs of state, needless to say that it was a symbol of the majesty of royal family and the state.

In 1412, the 12th year of King T'aejong, Kyonghoeru the banquet hall was built enlarging old pavilion to raise the royal authority in splendid and magnificent manner. However the old palace had been burnt during the Japanese Invasion of Korea in 1592 and had not been rebuilt for 270 years. It was just reconstructed and completed in 1869, with 7,225 rooms of Kwanghwamun, Injidang, Kyot'aejon, Kangnyongjon, Yonsaengjon, Kyongsongjon and more, in the palace and 489 rooms outside palace, that is, in Huwon, backyard. Today, 40 buildings with 857 rooms are remained and it is under reconstruction.

Toksugung
Toksugung palace was originally called Kyongun-gung. When King Kojong of the Choson dynasty gave his throne to his son Sunjong in 1907, the new king moved out to Ch'angdokkung palace, and Kojong remained here. The palace is called Toksugung since then.

Taehanmun is the front gate of Toksugung. Inside Taehanmun there are two buildings, Chunghwajon and Sogodang. Chunghwajon was once the main building of Toksugun, and Sogodang is the only two-story building in the palace. There are also Hamnyongjon, the royal residence of King Kojong, and Chunmyongdang and Tokhongjon, where the king entertained the foreign delegates. And the Western-style Chonggwanhon is where King Kojong enjoyed tea and music. Sokchojon is the largest stone building in Korea and is the museum where people can view the royal relics.

Unhyon-gung
Unhyon-gung is a historical place as the headquarters of Hungson-gun Prince Yi Ha-ung's political activities. He knew how to get on the world, and how to hide his ambitions for power.

However, when he finally succeeded in making his 12-year-old son the King of Korea, he, as the King's father, became the most powerful person in the country. He then started the reformation and also the reinforcement of the royal authority. Unhyon-gung is the place that witnessed all these historical changes. It is also a historical place where King Kojong (son of Prince Yi Ha-ung and the last emperor of Choson Dynasty) lived until he became king.