Travel/Culture List

The Center of Korea Observatory is located in Yanggu-gun County. The observatory is named the Center of Korea, as it is located at the center of the Korean Peninsula. It is equipped with an 80㎝ reflecting telescope. There is also an exhibition hall providing the most recent astronomy news, a planetarium showing the night sky, and a range of hands-on programs.

Sareung is the royal tomb of Queen Jeongsun (1440-1521), a consort to King Danjong. She was perhaps the most tragic royal woman of the Joseon Dynasty.In 1453, she was selected to be Queen out of many candidates and actually became the Queen a year later. However, when King Danjong was forced to abdicate from the throne by Prince Suyang, who later became King Sejo, and was exiled to Yeongwol in Gangwon-do province, Queen Jeongsun was deprived of her title as well.After King Danjong died, she built a thatched-roof house outside Seoul’s Dongdaemun Gate (East Main Gate) and lived there for the rest of her life continuing to mourn her husband.The tomb’s name, Sareung came from the fact that she had missed her dead husband so much.Unlike other royal tombs, Sareung looks very simple. Its size is relatively small, and it does not have the “Byeongpungseok” stone border. There is only a “Muninseok” statue of a civil officer and “Seokma”, a statue carved in the shape of a horse. 

365 Safe Town is a one-of-a-kind safety awareness theme park combining education, entertainment, recreation, and leisure into one public park. It is the world’s first edutainment facility dedicated to teaching the public safety lessons about fire, earthquakes, and other natural disasters. The park consists of three different areas. The Jangseong-jigu Zone (Korea Youth Safety Experience Hall) provides a realistic experience of natural disasters through 3D and 4D installations. The Jungang-jigu (Challenge World) offers a chance to test one’s limits through outdoor experience facilities like the tree track and zip line. Lastly, the Cheoram-jigu (Gangwon-do Fire Fighting Academy) is a specialized training center for fire-fighting officers.

Damyang Changpyeong Samjinae Village was the first Korean place designated as a slow city in 2007. Compared with the fast-changing city life, the village seeks a slow life by experiencing regional cultures and food while surrounded by nature. Visitors can also make Korean traditional sweets & cookies such as Hangwa and Ssalyeot here.

The world’s first liquor museum covers an area of 24908 sq. ft. with three floors and a unique entrance gate decorated with a large distiller. The basement floor contains Wine, Beer, Asian Liquor, and Aqua Vitae exhibition halls as well as the Drinking Culture Exhibition where various information on worldwide liquor and its health effects are available.

Maaeyeoraejwasang consists of a Maebul (a Buddha carved in a cliff) at the very top of 12 Buddha images carved in natural rock caves located in a steep cliff of Golgulam Rock of Girimsa Valley. A painting of the Maaeyeoraejwasang titled "Golgulseokgul" by Gyeomjae Jeongseon, a famous painter of the era, revealed that there was once a wooden room located in front of the Maebul, but today only a hint of the room remains on the rock. The head of the Buddha (Yukgye) is perched solid and high on the body with a clear profile of the face – sharp eyes, small lips and a long and narrow nose. In contrast to the three-dimensional face, the body is broader and flatter. The neck and upper chest sections have eroded over time. The folds in the clothing are nearly parallel, and the arm area has a v-pattern wrinkle, giving it a more realistic and three-dimensional quality. Around the head of the Buddha is a lotus-shaped halo, while the body is surrounded by a rhythmic flame-like halo. The Maebul is believed to have been created during the late Unified Silla Kingdom, as it shows similar craftsmanship to Birojanabuljwasang (National Treasure No. 995), which was created in the year 876 and is located in Chukseosa Temple.

GS Caltex Yeosu Complex allows visitors an opportunity to learn about how to refine petrolem and how to make a final product of it at the production site. Visitors can explore the real manufacturing facility while visiting the GS Caltex Yeosu Plant which is a world class crude oil refining facility.

Jeoji Oreum is situated in Jeoji-ri, Hangyeong-myeon in Jeju-si. This parasitic cone rises 239 meters above sea level, is 100 meters high, and has a crater with a circumference of 800 meters and 62 meters deep. The crater is round and in the shape of a funnel. It is said that Jeoji Oreum is as old as Jeoji Village. It is also called Dakmoru or Sae Oreum. Nearby, there are Gamaechang Oreum and Heoritdang, showing just how long the history of Jeoji Village is. In the past, people harvested wild weeds from Jeoji Oreum to cover their thatched-roof houses. Over time, trees were planted and today, Jeoji Oreum is covered with a dense forest. The area has been designated a "Forest of Life" since June 2005. The Jeoji Oreum is the last point on Olle trail, Route 13.

Opened on January 1, 1905, Jochiwon Station is a major hub for trains on the Gyeongbu Line. It also connects Cheongju to the other areas in Chungcheongnam-do. The station underwent expansion and a second story was built on built on May 19, 1999. The station plaza has a artworks on display and it also serves as a venue various cultural events. The station's location also made it an important transfer point for trains on the Chungbuk, Gyeongbu, Jeolla, and Honam Lines. With the continuous urban development in Sejong City and Osong City, the station is also expected to play a major role in transportation and commerce for the central region.