Cheonho Park

Cheonho Park is a small neighborhood park located in southwestern Seoul, not far from Gwangnaru Hangang Park and Amsa-dong Prehistoric Settlement Site. Though small, the park features a musical fountain, library, outdoor stage, and walking paths. There are also various sports facilities including a basketball court and volleyball court. Though located in the center of the city, Cheonho Park provides a space for relaxation for both locals and tourists.

Cheonho Park is a fairly new park, dating back to 1998. Before then, the Pilot Pen manufacturing company used this area for one of their pen factories. In 1996, the Seoul Metropolitan Government acquired the private land. In 1997, the government began plans to convert the factory into a public park. When the park opened in June 1998, it was known as Cheonhodong Park. In January 2003, the park became known as Cheonho Park. While parts of the park opened in 1998, in total, it took 5 years to fully transform the area from a factory into a park. In total, the park has a total area of 26,696 square meters (287,353 square feet).

In May 2009, 11 years after its initial opening, Cheonho Park underwent maintenance work. The purpose of the work was to add indigenous flowers and plants to areas around the park, except the forest areas, which remained untouched. In November 2009, after 6 months of work, the park reopened as a place for locals and tourists to view local flora and fauna.

Though small, scenic Cheonho Park allows for the perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of the city. Highlights include a large plaza, walking paths encircling the park, and a musical fountain. In the summer, the fountain puts on a dancing water show throughout the day. You will also find the Gangdong-gu Haegong Public Library. Opened in June 2008, the library pays tribute to Sin Ik-hui, a Korean independence activist and politician during the occupation of Japan.

In the spring, Cheonho Park is one of the best places in Seoul to view azaleas in bloom. These colorful flowers, which grow around the music fountain and green spaces, are a spectacular sight to see. Each April when the azaleas are in full bloom, the Royal Azalea Festival takes place here at Cheonho Park. It is one of the premier flower festivals in the Gangdong-gu District.

Nearby Sights

Amsa-dong Settlement Prehistoric Site

Amsa-dong Prehistoric Settlement Site, discovered in 1925, was once the location of a Neolithic village situated on the Han River over 6,000 years ago. The site was discovered in 1925 after a flood revealed buried earthenware pots. Excavation work did not begin until 40 years later in 1967.

Gwangjin Forest Naru Park

Gwangjin Forest Naru Park is a neighborhood park located in Gwangjin-gu, between Guui-dong and Gwangjang-dong, close to the Hangang River. The park has two sections on both sides of Cheonho-daero at the northern end of the Cheonho-daero Tunnel.

Olympic Park

Seoul Olympic Park, or Olpark, is a large outdoor recreation area, sporting venue, and park that was built for the 1988 Summer Olympics. Just a few of the facilities built for the Olympics include a swimming pool, gymnastics arena, tennis courts, fencing gymnasium, and velodrome.

Techno Mart

Techno Mart is an eight floor shopping mall and marketplace with over 2,000 electronic stores selling every type of electronics, appliances, and gadgets. If you are in Seoul and you need electronics at reasonable prices, then this in your place.

World Peace Gate

World Peace Gate is a colorful gate located at Olympic Park. It was built as a sign of peace and harmony for the 1988 Seoul Summer Olympics which took place In September and October, 1988. Construction began on December 31, 1986 and was completed on August 31, 1988. It was designed by architect Kim Chung-up.

Seoul Baekje Museum

Seoul Baekje Museum preserves the history and culture of the Baekje kingdom which established the capital of Hanseong which later would become Seoul. The history of Seoul dates back thousands of years when the Baekje kingdom flourished on the banks of the Hangang River. Artifacts and displays in the museum focus on prehistoric times and on the 500 year history of the Baekje from 18 B.C. to 475 A.D. The museum is located at Olympic Park.

Last Updated on Aug 27, 2022