Top 5 Beautiful and famous Korean Architecture (including Korean Traditional Architecture)

Top 5 Beautiful Korean Architecture

There are so many beautiful architectures that come to mind, from buildings that embody Korean traditions to buildings that uniquely utilize trends and modern beauty. However, I would like to introduce just five beautiful buildings in Korea that I would like people visiting with interest in Korea to experience first.

 

Jongmyo Shrine

Completed in 1395

Location 157 Jongno, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Although Jongmyo is a place that is always mentioned along with Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Changgyeonggung, and Deoksugung, which are called the four major palaces of Seoul, it is less known to tourists than other palaces. Jongmyo Shrine, which was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995, is a shrine that enshrines the tablets of Joseon's past kings and queens, and is one of the most refined and majestic buildings of the Joseon Dynasty. Construction began in 1394, the year that King Taejo moved the capital to Hanyang, and was completed the following year. The central buildings of Jongmyo are the Jeongjeon and Yeongnyeongjeon, which are 101m long buildings. In the main shrine, there are 19 kings and 30 queens, and a total of 49 sacred tablets enshrined in the 19-kan placenta chamber.

 

Lotte World Tower

Completed in 2016

Designed by KPF

Location 300 Olympic-ro, Songpa-gu, Seoul

The building soaring into the sky has become a symbol of the city. Lotte World Tower, with a cone-shaped design that narrows as it goes up to the top, 123 floors above ground, and a height of 555 meters, is currently the tallest building in Korea. It is the fifth highest in the world. KPF (Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates), a leading designer of high-rise buildings that are creating the world's skylines, participated in the design work. Currently, there is a museum, performance hall, restaurant, cafe, shopping mall, Signiel Residence and Signiel Hotel Seoul. From the observation deck on the highest floor, you can enjoy a panoramic view of Seoul.

 

Leeum

Completed in 2004

Designed by Mario Botta, Jean Nouvel, and Rem Koolhaas

Location Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul

Leeum is a private art museum created by the Samsung Cultural Foundation and was named Leeum after Lee Byung-cheol, the founder and chairman of Samsung Group, and um, which means museum. It was an art museum that took about 8 years to complete, and the building itself was viewed as a work of art. The building consists of three major buildings, designed by Mario Botta, Jean Nouvel, and Rem Koolhaas, who are considered the world's best architects of the time. In particular, Mario Botta is known to have overseen the project and personally directed the construction stage with great care. The gathering of the best architects of our time with different personalities to build an art museum was talked about as a historical event unprecedented in the world.

 

2023.11.07  LEEUM, "A Masterpiece of Contemporary Architecture"

LEEUM, "A Masterpiece of Contemporary Architecture" / Mario Botta, Jean Nouvel, and Rem Koolhaas / the most famous architecture

 

Museum SAN

Completed in 2013

Designed by Tadao Ando

Location 260 Oak Valley 2-gil, Jijeong-myeon, Wonju-si, Gangwon-do

It is a comprehensive art museum opened by renovating the Paper Museum, which had been operated by the Hansol Cultural Foundation since 1997. Japanese architect Tadao Ando, known as the ‘architect of light’ and ‘architect of nature,’ was in charge of the design. A beautiful garden (flower garden, water garden) has been created on a site of a little over 66,000 m2, and in a monotonous gray building surrounded by stones, you can see the works of artists representing Korean abstract art. The meditation hall and stone mound were completed with inspiration from the Silla tombs in Gyeongju. The James Turrell Hall, an exhibition hall dedicated to world-renowned installation artist James Turrell, is also impressive. A terrace cafe with a great view, beautiful nature, and architecture are all contained in one landscape.

 

Seonamsa Temple

Estimated to be completed around 9th century

Location 450 Seonamsa-gil, Seungju-eup, Suncheon-si, Jeollanam-do

Historian Yoo Hong-jun, author of <My Cultural Heritage Exploration>, says, “Mountain temple architecture begins from the entrance.” About a 20-minute walk from the entrance, the road to Seonamsa Temple is a dirt road dense with oak, maple, and fir trees. As you walk slowly with the sound of the valley water in the background, you come across the famous view of Seonamsa Temple, the Rainbow Bridge and Seungseongyo Bridge. Seonamsa Temple, a beautiful temple with flowers blooming all year round, is one of the seven mountain temples registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is called the ‘most beautiful temple’ or ‘the most Korean temple.’ There are many theories about the founding of Seonamsa Temple, but based on the remaining relics, it is presumed that it was built during the Unified Silla period.