The Cheonggyecheon Stream draws crowds of locals out in early evening.

Cheong-gye-cheon

Top choice in Gwanghwamun & Jongno-gu


With its landscaped walkways, footbridges, waterfalls and a variety of public artworks, such as the enormous pink-and-blue shell entitled Spring in Cheong-gye Plaza, this revitalised stream is a hit with Seoulites. People come to escape the urban hubbub day and night, whisper sweet nothings under one of its 22 bridges or, in summer, dangle their feet in the water. It is a relaxing way to avoid the traffic while traversing the downtown area, passing near places of interest such as Gwangjang Market, Dongdaemun and Insadong.

A raised highway was torn down and cement roads removed in this US$384-million urban renewal project to ‘daylight’ this stream. The clear water that flows for 5.8km down this beautifully landscaped oasis is actually pumped in at great expense from elsewhere, inciting the ire of environmentalists.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Gwanghwamun & Jongno-gu attractions

1. Cheong-gye Plaza

0.08 MILES

Houses the towering pink-and-blue shell artwork and landmark entitled Spring. Part of the Cheong-gye-cheon pathway, there is always movement day and night…

2. Admiral Yi Sun-Sin Statue

0.15 MILES

This statue is a downtown landmark. Seoul-born Yi Sun-sin (1545–98) designed new types of metal-clad warships called geobukseon (turtle boats), and used…

3. Citizens Hall

0.19 MILES

Head down to City Hall's basement to reach Citizens Hall, a multipurpose space with an interesting mix of multimedia art exhibitions, design shops and a…

4. Gungisi Relics Exhibition Hall

0.19 MILES

Head down to the basement of City Hall to this glassed-in archaeological site displaying items dating from the Joseon dynasty unearthed during excavation…

5. Seoul Metropolitan Library

0.19 MILES

Opened in 2012, the Seoul Metropolitan Library is within the original City Hall's Renaissance-style building, constructed in 1926, that's fronted by a…

6. Seoul City Hall

0.19 MILES

Looking like a tsunami made of glass and steel, Seoul City Hall was completely redeveloped in 2013 and now is a major architectural attraction of the city…

7. Bosingak

0.24 MILES

Contrasting with the modern Jongno Tower opposite, this ornate pavilion houses a recent copy of the city bell – the original, forged in 1468, is in the…

8. Sejong Gallery

0.24 MILES

The regularly changing exhibitions at the gallery in the Sejong Center, the largest cultural complex in Seoul, are generally worth a look for an insight…