Not many city halls can claim to include contemporary art, but Seoul City Hall is a reflection of what this metropolis wants to portray to the world. Painting itself as a forward-thinking city, Seoul has a principal government building that stands out. Its tinted glass exterior is modeled on the rooflines of traditional Korean homes. Stand in front of the building and you may think it’s an art gallery.
Notice the older traditional building that was previously the original city hall, but is now the Seoul Metropolitan Library. The newer eco-friendly building was completed in 2012 and was designed to be a place for welcoming citizens as well as conducting municipal affairs.
Inside the building are 70,000 plants from 14 species on a 7-story wall about the size of a soccer field. Seoul City Hall has the claim in the Guinness Book of World Records as having the world’s largest vertical garden.
A towering creation of white forms, titled Meta Epic: SeoBeol, represents Seoul’s history over 2,000 years as interpreted by Korean artist Jeon Su-cheon.
During construction of the building, a military weapons depot from the Joseon Dynasty was unearthed. View the ancient armaments in the Gungisi Relics Exhibition Hall.
Find out if a gift was made from your city to Seoul the Story of the Mayor’s Office includes tokens of friendship and cooperation from around the world.
To fully represent the urban community, Citizens’ Hall in the lower part of the building is available for local events including weddings and concerts. This is also where you’ll find shops featuring goods from small businesses, fair trade and a café. Enjoy your drink and a snack in the hall or go outside to the history-making and convivial Seoul Plaza.
Register online for a tour of city hall, known as the Tong-Tong Tour, which takes visitors to parts of the building not open to others. Accessible tours can also be arranged online. Alternatively pick up a pamphlet for a self-guided excursion.
Find Seoul City Hall on Sejong-daero in the Jung-gu district. Admission is free.
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