Seodaemun Prison History Museum (서대문형무소역사관)

Seodaemun Prison History Museum (서대문형무소역사관)

- Homepage
sphh.sscmc.or.kr

Seodaemun Prison was built under the Japanese administration to imprison independence movement activists. It first opened on October 21, 1908 under the name Gyeongseong Prison. Eventually, so many activists were imprisoned that the building had to be expanded. At that time, the name changed to Seodaemun Prison on September 3, 1912. Eighty years later, the prison was turned into Seodaemun Independence Park on August 15, 1992 to commemorate the Korean patriots who were tortured in prison, giving their lives for freedom. Of the many buildings, only seven were preserved for their historical significance, among which three prison buildings and the execution site were designated as a Historic Site. In 1998, the park underwent another transformation into today's Seodaemun Prison History Hall to educate the public on the importance of Korea's independence and the sacrifices of those who fought to achieve it.

- Address : 251 Tongil-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul


※ Presentation Information
- Information and Guides
+82-2-360-8590

- Parking
Available (Seodaemun-gu Independence Park Parking Lot)

- Parking Fee
[Independence Parking Lot]
Large vehicles: 900 won per 10 min
Small & mid-sized vehicles: 300 won per 10 min

- Day Off
Mondays (closed the following business day if Monday is a public holiday), January 1, the day of Seollal (Lunar New Year's Day) & Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving Day)

- Usage Fee
Individuals - Adults 3,000 won / Teenagers 1,500 won / Children 1,000 won
Groups - Adults 2,400 won / Teenagers 1,200 won / Children 800 won
* Free admission: Preschoolers (ages 6 & under), senior citizens (ages 65 & over)

- Operating Hours
March-October 09:30-18:00
November-February 09:30-17:00
* Last admission 30 min before closing

- Tour Duration
Approx. 1 hr - 1 hr 30 min



- Foreign Language Intepretation Services
Docent tour available

- Reservation required one week before visiting

- Available in English, Japanese, and Chinese

- Groups: 20 people or fewer

- Refer to the website for more info

◎ Nearby Tourism Infobox

⊙ Dongnimmun Gate (독립문)

Dongnimmun stands at the location originally known as Yeongeun, where envoys were once treated. When a Chinese envoy visited, the King would go out through this door to greet. In 1898, to announce the independence from Japan, Dongnimun was constructed with the fund collected by the citizens. The traces of the past still remain on Dongnimmun with two pillars in front of Dongnimmun being the remains of Yeongeunmun.


The Arc de Triomphe in France can be recalled in comparison to Dongnimmun. Dongnimmun was built using granite with a passageway x_height of 14.28 meters. On the top it is written ‘Dongnimmun’ in Korean with the national flag drawn on each side. On the inner-left side there are stone stairs leading to the attic. The national flower Mugunghwa are planted around Dongnimmun. Now it is surrounded by roads and it is eye-catching to view when passing by.

⊙ Heroes of Independence Look at the Stars (독립의 영웅, 별을 보다)

⊙ National Memorial of Korean Provisional Government (국립대한민국임시정부기념관)

- Homepage
www.nmkpg.go.kr

The National Memorial of Korean Provisional Government was established to shine a light on the proud history of the Korean Provisional Government's independence and the spirit of a democratic republic and to pass it on to future generations. The four-story memorial building with three underground floors houses three permanent exhibits, one special exhibit, Larchiveum, Symbol Plaza, storage, multi-purpose hall, and rooftop garden over a total area of 3,656 square meters, a total floor area of 9,703 square meters and a total exhibition space of 2,240 square meters. The permanent exhibits consist of a series of historic events from the March 1st Movement, which served as a turning point for the formation of the Provisional Government, to the foundation of the Korean Government that succeeded the mantle of the provisional government, while the special exhibit on the 1st floor currently hosts a special opening exhibition under the title of 『The Return of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea』. Moreover, a symbolic wall installation under the theme of "Waves of History" is displayed in the outdoor plaza on the 1st floor of the memorial expressing the Provisional Government’s desire for independence and the dynamics of the past, present, and future of Korea.

⊙ Seodaemun Independence Park (서대문독립공원)

- Tel
+82-2-3140-8305

Seodaemun Independence Park was built on the former Seoul Detention Camp. It was used to imprison thousands of Korean independence activists until the liberation from the Japanese occupation on August 15, 1945, as well as the political prisoners during the political turmoil in the 1960s. When the prison was moved to Uiwang-si, Gyeonggi-do in November 1987, the area was restored and turned into a memorial park in August 15, 1992 to honor the sacrifices of the martyrs. The park preserves seven prison buildings, an execution ground, underground women’s prison, and the March 1st Movement Monument that has been moved from Tapgol Park in Jongno.


One of the most significant monuments of the Seodaemun Independence Park is Dongnimmun Gate (Independence Gate), which has been designated a Historic Site. Nearby is Dongnipgwan (Independence Hall), originally called Mohwagwan, which was used to greet Chinese envoys during the Joseon dynasty. Today, the hall enshrines 2,327 tablets inscribed with the names of Koreans who died for the cause of national independence. Standing right next to Dongnimmun Gate are the remnants of Yeongeunmun Gate, another Historic Site. Other sights inside the park include the Patriotic Martyr Monument, Declaration of Independence Monument, and Statue of Dr. Seo Jae-pil, who was an independence activist and publisher of Korea’s first independent newspaper. The main highlight of the park is the Seodaemun Prison History Hall, a former prison building that was renovated into a history museum.

⊙ Daesungjip (대성집)

- Homepage
daesungjip.modoo.at (Korean only)

- Tel
+82-2-735-4259

Daejungjip has specialized in Dogani tang (ox knee joint soup) for 60 years. Customers can feel a simple and familiar ambience at the restaurant.

⊙ Inwangsa Temple (인왕사 (서울))

- Tel
+82-2-737-4434

Inwangsa Temple refers to the entire cluster of small Buddhist temples located on Inwangsan Mountain (alt. 338m) in the heart of Seoul. The eastern foot of the mountain has many scenic spots with its distinctively cozy and tasteful atmosphere, and the northern area called Mugye-dong also offers beautiful scenery. Inwangsa Temple was established in the early Joseon period (1392-1910) to guard the national palace Gyeongbokbung. The temple is comprised of 11 shrines from five different Buddhist orders. The unique design of each shrine adds pleasure to hikers on their way up to Seonbawi, an unusual rock formation that is a site of many folk beliefs and shamanist rites.

⊙ Dongnimmun Yeongcheon Market (독립문영천시장)

Yeongcheon Market, which was formed in the 1960s near Dongnimmun Gate in Seodaemun-gu, is a marketplace with over 50 years of history and tradition, once famous as one of the largest rice cake wholesale markets in Seoul. It is set up near a residential district, which makes it one of the city's most notable street-style traditional markets that nearby residents frequently visit. The city of Seoul selected the area surrounding 38 Yeongcheonsijang-gil, Seodaemun-gu as the "Future Heritage of July" in 2021.

It is a large-scale traditional market that currently features around 198 stores, and it is well-known for its various foods and snacks such as tteokbokki and twisted donuts sold at about 40% of all shops.

⊙ Inwangsan Mountain (인왕산)

- Homepage
parks.seoul.go.kr

- Tel
+82-2-2148-2834

Inwangsan Mountain is a rocky mountain located to the northwestern side of Seoul. It stands 338m tall.  The Seoul City Wall is built along its ridge, connecting to the Baegak Mountain Trail. From the summit, one can see the three mountains of Naksan Mountain, Namsan Mountain, and the Bugaksan Mountain surrounding the historical center of Hanyang, the historical name for Seoul in Joseon period, with the Gyeongbokgung Palace at the center. There are five hiking trails, all taking about two hours to complete. It takes about three hours if you want to visit all the peaks of the mountain.

⊙ Bongwonsa Temple (봉원사)

- Homepage
bongwonsa.or.kr

- Tel
+82-2-392-3007

Located on the outskirts of Ansan Mountain in Bongwon-dong, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, Bongwonsa Temple, as the center of Korean Buddhism Taego, is a thousand-year-old temple with a long history and tradition. In 889 (3rd year of Shilla Queen Jinseong’s reign), Monk Doseon founded it at the ground of Yeonhui Palace (now Yonsei Univ.) and named it Banyasa temple. It was destroyed during the Imjin War in 1592, and later in 1748 (the 24th year of Joseon King Yeongjo’s reign), it was rebuilt and renamed “Bongwonsa” by two Buddhist monks, Chanjeup and Jeungam.

“Yeongsanjae,” one of the Buddhist rituals and also a National Intangible Cultural Property, takes place at Bongwonsa on June 6 every year wishing for world peace and the reunification of North and South Korea. It was designated as one of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2009. During Yeongsanjae, visitors can enjoy the Buddhist arts such as Beompae (Buddhist temple music for rituals) and dancing. Also, during summertime, Seoul Lotus Flower Culture Festival takes place, where visitors can enjoy the beautiful lotus flowers which are a symbol of Buddhism.



This work was created by the Korea Tourism Organization for 24 years and opened as the first type of public Nuri. You can download it for free from the Korea Tourism Organization, https://kto.visitkorea.or.kr/eng.kto