The Early Goryeo Period

In 1067, the 21st year of the reign of King Munjong of the Goryeo kingdom (918-1392), Yangju, now Seoul, was elevated to namgyeong (the south capital), one of the three capitals of Goryeo. Gaegyeong (now Gaeseong) was the main capital, Pyongyang was seogyeong (the west capital) and Gyeongju was donggyeong (the east capital) until Yangju was designated the south capital. In the following year, a new palace was built in namgyeong. It is highly likely that the new palace was located on the current site of Cheongwadae.

The Middle Goryeo Period

King Sukjong (1054-1105; r. 1095-1105) of Goryeo attempted without success to move the main capital to namgyeong. Inspired by an appeal of Kim Wi-je who believed in the geomantic theory of the Buddhist Great Master Doseon, King Sukjong visited namgyeong and observed for himself the geographical features there to decide on a candidate site for a palace. Eventually, the current site of Cheongwadae, south of Bugaksan mountain, was chosen.

The Early Joseon Period

The current site of Cheongwadae was used as a venue for a royal ritual called Hoemaeng during the Joseon period (1392-1910) up until Japan’s Hideyoshi invasion in 1592, when Gyeongbokgung, the main palace, was burned down. During the Hoemaeng ritual, merit subjects and/or their legitimate descendants joined with the king to pledge allegiance before the spirits of heaven and earth and to be granted rewards according to their merits. According to the Taejong Sillok (Annals of King Taejong), there was a village near the Cheongwadae site. The name of the village was known as Buk-dong or Dae-eunam-dong. It is recorded in the Annals that on November 14, 1404, a Hoemaeng was held in Buk-dong near Gyeongbokgung.

The Late Joseon Period

After King Gojong (1852-1919) was enthroned, Gyeongbokgung was restored and the area outside Sinmumun, the north gate of the palace, was turned into the rear garden of Gyeongbokgung. In 1869, the sixth year of the reign of King Gojong, there were five pavilions in the rear garden, including Yungmundang, Yungmudang, Bicheondang, Jungilgak and Ongnyeonjeong. These structures measured 488 kan (a traditional unit of measure indicating space between two columns) in total. In 1905, a new pavilion called Chimnyugak was added. In particular, the compound encompassing Yungmundang and Yungmudang was referred to as Gyeongmudae, which was used as a venue for civil service examinations. On Suseonjeondo (首善全圖, Complete Map of the Capital City) published in 1891, the 29th year of the reign of King Gojong, the rear garden outside Sinmumun was also marked as Gyeongmudae.

The Japanese Colonial Period

Since 1910 when Korea was forcibly annexed to Japan, many buildings built during the periods of the Joseon Kingdom and the Great Han Empire in the back garden of Gyeongbokgung have been demolished. Particularly, when the Joseon Expo was held in 1929 in Gyeongbokgung and its rear garden to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Government-General of Korea, most buildings were torn down except for a few such as Chimnyugak. Later, the Japanese imperialists constructed a residential building for the Governor-General of Korea on the site of the old rear garden and named it Gyeongmudae.

The Republic of Korea Period

When the Republic of Korea was founded in the wake of country’s liberation, Gyeongmudae began to be used as a presidential office and residence by President Syngman Rhee. The name of the presidential compound, however, was officially changed to Cheongwadae on December 30, 1960 by President Yun Po-sun, who claimed that the old name was a reminder of Japanese colonial rule and the dictatorial rule of President Rhee. The name of Cheongwadae was derived from the fact that the main building was covered with blue roof tiles, which is one of the iconic cultural properties in Korea.

http://english.president.go.kr/images/common/navi/navi_tours_s02on.gifthe Blue House" />

On-line Application

We strongly encourage you to submit your reservation applications at least 10 days up to 6 months in advance via email at tour@president.go.kr, and please make sure to include the followings in the application.

• Full-name

• Passport Number

• Date of Birth

• Contact Information

• Nationality

• Desired tour schedule (date & time)

In case there is a Korean representative or a person who speaks Korean among the group, this person may apply on behalf of the group using the on-line application form found on the Cheongwadae website.

Application by Regular Mail

Reservation applications by regular mail must be submitted at least 10 days up to 6 months in advance. Please, remember to include the full name, passport number, date of birth, contact information, nationality, and desired tour schedule (date & time) of each member and send it to the following address:
Cheongwadae
(Attn: History & Tour Information)
1 Cheongwadae - Ro, Jongno-Gu
Seoul, Korea

Tour Procedures

After receiving the confirmation e-mail, we ask that you arrive at the Cheongwadae Tour Information Booth located in the East Parking Lot adjacent the Gyeongbokgung palace 20 minutes before the start of the tour. Once the tour guide will check your ID with the submitted list, the group (with the tour guide on board) will then board the shuttle and proceed to the Cheongwadae.
Please, bring your passport with you for ID check.
Upon arrival, there will be a brief security check and you will be shown a short introductory video about the Cheongwadae. The actual tour will begin soon after the video is over. The tour will cover areas such as Nokjiwon (Green garden), the former Cheongwadae site, the main building of the Cheongwadae and Yeongbingwan (the State Guest House or banquet hall). The entire tour will take approximately 60 minutes.

Reminders

Interpretation services are not provided and individual tour guides are not available. Therefore, we advise you to read the tour description that is posted on our website before the tour so that you will have a better understanding. Photographs may be taken ONLY at designated locations and video cameras are prohibited. For your convenience, shuttle buses will be available to take you back to the East Parking Lot of the Gyeongbokgung palace after the tour is over. The shuttle service will be in front of the Sarangbang building which is located near the Yeongbingwan, the last stop of the tour