6 Best Sights in Jongno-gu, Seoul

Running east–west through the city, this path-lined stream is one of the best places in Seoul to go for a stroll, especially in summer when it's a cool respite from the heat. Simple scenes of folks taking a break from Seoul's hectic pace play out daily: couples walk hand in hand; students gather; and businesspeople relax on the steps during their lunch break. A good place to start exploring is Cheonggye Plaza at the west end of the stream with its striking Claes Oldenburg pop-art sculpture, Spring. Every November, the Seoul Lantern Festival is hosted here, during which hundreds of delicate lanterns light up the waters.

Although the Starfield Library in Gangnam’s COEX Mall is likely Seoul’s most famous, the Cheongun Literature Library, a short bus ride away from Gyeongbokgung Station, is hands down its most beautiful. The library is spread over two levels: the lower level houses approximately 20,000 books in a conventional library setting, and the ground floor consists of two units of a hanok. The hanok’s bonchae (main building) has several rooms with Korean floor-style seating for those looking to read or study in private and a one-room nujeong (annex) open to the public. While international visitors cannot check out books, the library’s unique design and nearby Cheongun Park make the trip worthwhile.

The large public square facing Gyeongbokgung Palace has long been a historical center of Seoul. After a renovation, the square doubled in size in 2022. Leafy trees, water fountains, and more pedestrian walkways now line the plaza, making this a sensible starting point for (or respite during) your adventures of the neighborhood. While here, admire its recently restored platform, once a stand for kings to communicate with the people that was later destroyed during Japanese occupation, plus two iconic statues, one of King Sejong and another of Admiral Yi Sun-sin. The U.S. Embassy is across from the square.

The Gyeongbokgung Palace grounds are home to this museum dedicated to the traditional and present-day lifestyles of the Korean people. It's a great introduction to the culture and history of the country for first-time visitors, especially the captivating permanent exhibition that covers daily life in villages from the 17th to 20th centuries. There's also a rotating special exhibit; its past subjects have included folklore, makgeolli, and the history and development of towns such as Busan and Incheon. English-language docent tours occur twice a day on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and once a day on Thursdays and Sundays. A café on-site sells snacks and sandwiches.

Located across from Gyeongbokgung Palace, this free history museum not only displays documents and photos that chronicle the recent past of the city but also has some stunning views of the Gwanghwamun area from its 8th-floor rooftop garden. The museum has several permanent exhibitions spanning the years 1894 to the present day and is a good place to go to begin to understand the city's modernization, independence, and shift to democracy. English language guided tours are available for groups of five or more with advance reservation.

This historical, multipurpose building made its international debut as the filming site of the 2021 Korean TV drama Vincenzo. First built in 1968, it was the city’s first high-rise building for residential and commercial purposes and later housed tech and digital marketplaces. Despite talks of demolishing the centrally located structure, in 2017, the space was opened up to millennial entrepreneurs who’ve since opened cafés and boutiques alongside a few surviving mom-and-pop electronic goods shops. Don’t miss a small museum devoted to the space’s history on the third floor, have a coffee at Horangi Coffee, and check out the view of Jongmyo Shrine from the Plaza’s rooftop.