Day 1 - Cheonggyecheon - Seoul
Day 1- June 2007
Cheonggyecheon - Seoul
Cheong Gye Cheon is approximately 6km in length and flows through downtown Seoul and into the Han River. Walking down its well manicured pathways, it is hard to imaging that this stream was completely covered over with concrete to support a double Decker highway that carried most of the cities traffic. Even more incredible is the fact that only 50 years ago in the 1950’s after the Korean war, this area along the stream was lined with make shift wooden housing, a slum area which was prone to floods in summer and fire in winter.
This colourful history of the stream is well documented in the Cheonggyecheon Museum, which is a must see. Within you will find photographic and video history of life around the stream, as well as the various construction stages from the conception of the highway, to the final stages of removal. The museum also includes a scientific centre which allows visitors to chroma key themselves onto images of the stream, as well as an ecological information trail.
The stream was opened to the public in October 2005 and lauded as a major success in urban renewal and beautification. It has seen the return of local wildlife specially, mandarin ducks and sparrow hawks which are the National Treasure of Korea.
There is something for everyone in this area including a flea market made up for roadside stalls selling antiques and nick nacks. But you must hurry to pick yourself up a bargain here as the restoration of the stream has meant that the surrounding land area has sky rocketed in value, and these markets will not be around for much longer.
At the top of the stream is a public entertainment square which comes to life on the weekends filled with plenty of activities. The number of visitors to Cheonggyecheon Stream running through the capital Seoul has surpassed 50 million in the two years since it was restored.
Location:
Museum - 530 Cheonggyecheon-no, Majang-dong, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, 133-814
Contact:
www.cgcm.go.kr
Tel +82 2 2286 3410
Fax +82 2 2286 3414
Opening Hours:
March-October
Weekdays 09:00-22:00
Weekends and public holidays 10:00-20:00
November-February
Weekdays 09:00-21:00
Weekends and public holidays 10:00-20:00
Closed Mondays and New Years Day
Admission Fee:
Free
Links:
Tour 2 Korea - Cheonggyecheon Stream
Tour 2 Korea - Cheonggyecheon Cultural Center
Cheonggyecheon - Seoul
Cheong Gye Cheon is approximately 6km in length and flows through downtown Seoul and into the Han River. Walking down its well manicured pathways, it is hard to imaging that this stream was completely covered over with concrete to support a double Decker highway that carried most of the cities traffic. Even more incredible is the fact that only 50 years ago in the 1950’s after the Korean war, this area along the stream was lined with make shift wooden housing, a slum area which was prone to floods in summer and fire in winter.
This colourful history of the stream is well documented in the Cheonggyecheon Museum, which is a must see. Within you will find photographic and video history of life around the stream, as well as the various construction stages from the conception of the highway, to the final stages of removal. The museum also includes a scientific centre which allows visitors to chroma key themselves onto images of the stream, as well as an ecological information trail.
The stream was opened to the public in October 2005 and lauded as a major success in urban renewal and beautification. It has seen the return of local wildlife specially, mandarin ducks and sparrow hawks which are the National Treasure of Korea.
There is something for everyone in this area including a flea market made up for roadside stalls selling antiques and nick nacks. But you must hurry to pick yourself up a bargain here as the restoration of the stream has meant that the surrounding land area has sky rocketed in value, and these markets will not be around for much longer.
At the top of the stream is a public entertainment square which comes to life on the weekends filled with plenty of activities. The number of visitors to Cheonggyecheon Stream running through the capital Seoul has surpassed 50 million in the two years since it was restored.
Location:
Museum - 530 Cheonggyecheon-no, Majang-dong, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, 133-814
Contact:
www.cgcm.go.kr
Tel +82 2 2286 3410
Fax +82 2 2286 3414
Opening Hours:
March-October
Weekdays 09:00-22:00
Weekends and public holidays 10:00-20:00
November-February
Weekdays 09:00-21:00
Weekends and public holidays 10:00-20:00
Closed Mondays and New Years Day
Admission Fee:
Free
Links:
Tour 2 Korea - Cheonggyecheon Stream
Tour 2 Korea - Cheonggyecheon Cultural Center
AS SEEN ON 
