Envision this: a gateway to the past and present. Right before us stands the Naksan Park Naksan Exhibition Hall. It is located at the very entrance to Naksan Park. This hall is more than just a building. It is a portal.
The Naksan Park Naksan Exhibition Hall reveals the story of Naksan. It shares its origin and history with everyone. You will find all the information free of charge.
Naksan itself means Camel Mountain in Korean. The name comes from its shape. It looks like a camel’s back. Once, this area was a royal ranch. It supplied milk to the palace. Because of this, it was also called Taraksan.
Imagine Seoul in the 1960s. Public apartments and houses began to crowd around Naksan. The mountain’s natural beauty started to disappear. To save it, the Seoul City Government started a restoration project. In July 2002, Naksan Park was opened.
Inside the Naksan Park Naksan Exhibition Hall, discover photographs. See models showing Naksan’s past. Learn about historical figures connected to this place. Discover the story of the Seoul Hanyangdoseong. This is the fortress wall that snakes across the landscape.
The Seoul Hanyangdoseong is an 18.2-kilometer-long fortress. It was built to protect Seoul. A 2.1-kilometer section of this wall passes through Naksan. It stretches from Hyehwamun to Heunginjimun. Walking along it offers amazing views of the city.
But there is also a sadder story of the past. After King Injo surrendered to the Qing dynasty, his sons were taken hostage. A court lady named Hongdeok went with them. In Shenyang, she made kimchi for Crown Prince Bongrim. He loved the taste.
Later, when he became King Hyojong, he recognized Hongdeok’s kimchi. He offered her a reward. She refused. Instead, he gave her land at the foot of Naksan. She grew cabbage and continued to make kimchi there. That area is now known as Hongdeok Field.
Naksan Park is not only about grand history. It also holds smaller, more personal stories. There is Biudang, a humble house with a thatched roof. It belonged to Yu Gwan, a prime minister known for his honesty. Even though he was important, he lived simply. During rain, he would sit where the roof leaked and think of those without shelter.
Later, Yi Su-gwang, a scholar, lived there. He named it Biudang, which means “a house to take shelter from the rain”. He wrote the encyclopedia Jibongyuseol here.
There is also Jajudong Spring. Queen Jeongsun, King Danjong’s wife, was exiled after King Sejo took the throne. To survive, she helped dye cloth. She used the water from this spring to dye white cloths purple. Purple was the color of royalty. That is how the spring got its name.
The Naksan Park Naksan Exhibition Hall provides more than just facts. It provides context for a bigger story. It links the mountain to the city. It connects the past to the present. Take your time. Explore the exhibits. Let the stories of Naksan come alive. This is where history meets nature.