New look of Seoul City Hall (Korea)

In an effort to attract more tourists, Seoul City Hall (South Korea) has opened its doors to visitors without prior reservations. The tour also offers guides in English, Chinese and Japanese.

The city government renovated the lobby of the building after 12 years of operation, aiming to create a more open and friendly environment for visitors. The space was transformed into a cultural center, resembling an ecological garden, where visitors can relax and explore many beautiful spaces, instead of the feeling of a strict, rigid office building. Lee Dong-ryul, head of the Administration Bureau of the Seoul Metropolitan Government, emphasized the potential of the tour in highlighting the historical and architectural significance of the building: “I hope Seoul City Hall will become a landmark where the history and future of the city intersect.”

Citizens and visitors to Seoul City Hall can take part in hourly tours from Tuesday to Friday. Each tour lasts 40 minutes. Online reservations will continue to be available. Reservations can be made for individuals up to 3 days in advance, and for group tours up to 5 days in advance through the official Visit Seoul website. Each tour arranged by online reservation will last 70 minutes.

News of the renovation of Seoul City Hall has sparked a significant increase in interest from both locals and tourists. The average number of monthly visitors has tripled since the renovation, with 221 people taking tours from January to April this year, compared to 811 from May to July.

Seoul City Hall had stopped tours of its headquarters in January 2020, when the Covid-19 pandemic broke out. The tour program has resumed since July 2022. The tour program will introduce visitors to the building's environmentally friendly design, using renewable energy for 60% of heating and cooling needs. The Seoul Library space has also been upgraded into an indoor reading space and an outdoor library space with many new books. The library is a place to introduce the history of modern and contemporary Seoul. Along with that, a cafe space served by robots has also been deployed. Exhibition spaces, cultural and artistic performances are connected, creating an impressive highlight for visitors when visiting the capital Seoul.

The lobby of the new building features unique visitor experiences, such as a large media wall and a civil servant work area. Popular attractions included in the tour include the former mayor's office, which was restored using original building materials, the exhibition hall of the former City Hall, and the rooftop garden, which offers views of landmarks such as Deoksu Palace and N Seoul Tower.

SOUTH

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/dien-mao-moi-cua-toa-thi-chinh-seoul-han-quoc-post758968.html