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Photo: GN Coordinator, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Sungkyunkwan was the highest educational institution during the Joseon dynasty since 1398. Students, including the royal family, studied Confucianism and other courses in Sungkyunkwan and became government officials and scholars. Munmyo was a Confucian shrine in Sungkyunkwan, and a ceremonial rite called 'Seokjeon Daeje' is performed twice a year. The current Sungkyunkwan University is a modern successor of Sungkyunkwan. Gingko trees in Autumn are very beautiful and famous.
Sŏnggyun'gwan was the foremost educational institution in Korea during the late Goryeo and Joseon Dynasties. The Sŏnggyun'gwan during the Joseon Dynasty sits in its original location, at the south end of the Humanities and Social Sciences Campus of Sungkyunkwan University in Seoul, South Korea. The Sŏnggyun'gwan during the Goryeo Dynasty, however, remains situated in Kaesong, North Korea. At the South Korean Sungkyunkwan, twice a year, in May and September, the ceremonial rite Seokjeon Daeje is performed in the Munmyo Shrine, to honour Confucius and the Confucian sages of China and Korea.
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국립어린이과학관
It is a science museum for children.
혜화 – colloquially known as Daehangno (대학로, lit. university road)
Performing arts center. Many small theaters with live dramatic and comedic performances lining every street. This district is filled with life and street commerce past midnight. The name came after the Seoul National University, which was located here before it moved to Gwanak-gu. SNU Hospital and Seoul National University School of Medicine one of the best in the country, is still here.
아루또 소극장
Located in the Daehak-ro district, Aruto Small Theater is known for staging romantic comedies. Since 2023, the theater is showcasing the play "De-minus Back to Fall in Love," a lighthearted romantic comedy. This small venue offers a cozy setting for audiences to enjoy live theater in an informal atmosphere.
궁중음식연구원
As the name implies, you learn how to prepare royal cuisine, as well as rice cakes and hangwa (Korean cookies).
혜화문
It is located at the border between Seongbuk-gu and Jongno-gu, and it is related to Jongno-gu, so I inserted it in the Jongno-gu compartment.
창덕궁, 昌德宮
Second only to Gyeongbokgung in historical importance, it was built in 1405 and was the seat of power between 1618 and 1896. The buildings have been restored to create a dazzling but still elegant effect that got the palace listed as a . The site is better preserved than Gyeongbokgung. Buildings of particular note include the blue-roofed Seonjeongjeon, which was the King's office, and the Daejojeon ("Great Making Hall"), his bedchamber, but perhaps most famous of all is the Huwon ("Secret Garden") in the back. Access to the garden is by guided tour only, except on Thursdays when only self-guided tours are available in summer from April to August. English tours are only offered at 10:30 and 14:30 and last around 60 minutes with a walking distance of about 2.5 km, including some steps and incline for the Huwon portion (the grounds are wheelchair-accessible for most parts but may have to enter certain areas in a reverse direction from the group). Trivia: The building structure is not symmetrical and has a more natural-oriented arrangement than the Gyeongbokgung. You may find some Western influences in some buildings which were introduced during the late 1800s, such as a chandelier and the elevated pathway for the automobile.