Cheonggyecheon Stream

About this place

A stream running about 11 kilometres through the heart of Seoul, brought back to life in 2005 in one of the world's best-known urban renewal projects. It was a natural watercourse, then the old city's drain, and after the Korean War it was covered in concrete with an elevated motorway built on top. In 2003 the city began tearing down the road and uncovering the stream, and the work was finished two years later. The walk starts at Cheonggye Plaza near Gwanghwamun, with a small waterfall and a colourful spiral sculpture, then drops below street level, where the noise of the city fades. Both banks have footpaths, with stepping stones across the water and more than twenty bridges. Sights along the way include a long tile mural of King Jeongjo's royal procession and the Wall of Hope. In summer people sit on the edge and dangle their feet in the water, and in some seasons lit lanterns are set up along it. The walkway is always open and free, and it is at its best in the evening, when the bridges and waterfall are lit. Walking the first stretch, as far as Gwangjang Market or Dongdaemun, is enough.