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| Seoul, South Korea |
Namsan Park and N Seoul Tower play a very important role in the daily life of Seoulites
and visitors, alike. That’s because in a city as huge as Seoul, finding your
bearings can be a challenge. Thanks to these two Seoul icons – one natural, the
other human-made – city folk can feel just a bit more secure when it comes to
their sense of place.
When Yi Seong-gye
(이성계) moved Korea’s capital to present-day Seoul in 1394, he protected
it with 18 kilometers of fortress walls that connected four
mountaintops.Namsan (남산), which
means “south mountain,” formed the city’s southern border. Of course,
long ago Seoul spilled beyond those original walls. So what was the city’s southern limit is now its heart. And from various points throughout the city, N Seoul Tower can be seen rising atop Namsan.
Each year, 8.4 million people visit Namsan Park and N Seoul Tower,
which translates to some 30,000 a day in the high season. In addition
to enjoying well-maintained jogging paths, the park includes a library, a
botanical garden and a swimming pool. At the park’s northeast side
there’s the Namsangol Hanok Village (남산골한옥마을) .
Built to resemble a Korean folk village, free traditional wedding
ceremonies and cultural performances can be enjoyed there in the summer
and fall.
No doubt, the park’s most popular attraction is N Seoul Tower.
Built in 1969 and opened to the public 11 years later, the
communication tower is approx. 237 meters tall, topping off at a
half-kilometer above sea level. To reach the tower, zero-emissions buses
drive there while South Korea’s first cable car whisks people from the
outskirts of the Myeong-dong Shopping District to the mountaintop.
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| Teddy Bear Museum |
Once
there, visitors can enjoy a spacious plaza and platforms affording
panoramic views of Seoul. Take a closer look, however, and you’ll see a
safety fence that’s covered in thousands of padlocks. These curious
objects are symbols of love fastened by young couples. Inside N Seoul Tower is a café and three restaurants, including the revolving n.Grill.
For some, the Teddy Bear Museum shouldn’t be missed… but personally,
the highlight is the fantastic Sky Restrooms on the observation level.
Of course, Namsan Park and N Seoul Tower’s
four observation platforms are the big draw. Helpful window displays
indicate Seoul landmarks and world capitals. Overall, the platforms can
hold 1,100 people, and at 350 meters above sea level, they afford
outstanding views of the city, day or night. Speaking of nightfall,
should you be there to see it, the tower will be transformed into a
piece of digital art. Until midnight, colorful flames and other images
are projected on the tower’s torso every hour.
Finally, since the 1990s, Seoul city officials have worked to restoreNamsan Park and N Seoul Tower.
In March 2009, the previous mayor unveiled a Namsan Renaissance master
plan. The project consisted of removing buildings, restoring the
ancient Seoul Fortress (서울성곽) walls
and extend jogging paths to 7.5 kilometers. At a cost of 232 billion
won ($183 million), the project is scheduled to be completed in 2015..
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N_Seoul_Tower
http://discoveringkorea.com
http://www.visitseoul.net/en/see/landmark/n-seoul-tour.jhtml
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