Blue House, Presidential residence in Jongno District, South Korea
The Blue House is a former presidential residence in Jongno District, South Korea, located at the foot of Bukaksan Mountain. The complex includes several pavilions with curved rooflines, administrative buildings, and landscaped grounds that extend across wide slopes.
The compound was established in 1948 as the presidential office and residence after Korea regained independence. It stood on grounds that had served as a royal garden during the Joseon Dynasty.
The name comes from the blue roof tiles visible across the buildings, crafted using an old Korean ceramic technique. Today families and school groups visit the site, walking through the open gardens and taking photos in front of the pavilions.
You can explore most of the grounds on foot during opening hours, but some interior spaces require advance registration through the official website. The entrance is near Gyeongbokgung subway station, and a walk around the site takes roughly one to two hours depending on your route.
In 2022 the grounds opened to the general public as a park for the first time in 74 years. Visitors can now walk paths that were previously accessible only to a few government staff and invited guests.
Location: Jongno District
Inception: 1991
Official opening: 1991
Address: 서울특별시 종로구 청와대로 1
Website: https://opencheongwadae.kr/eng
GPS coordinates: 37.58669,126.97486
Latest update: December 4, 2025 19:03
Between 1890 and 1910, Art Nouveau spread across Europe, producing buildings that combined craft traditions with industrial techniques through organic forms, natural motifs, and detailed ornamental work. Architects including Victor Horta in Brussels, Antoni Gaudí in Barcelona, and Otto Wagner in Vienna designed structures that departed from historical revival styles, instead emphasizing curved lines, wrought iron elements, and colored glass. The movement encompassed concert halls and railway stations as well as private homes and commercial facades, creating a body of work that remains central to the architectural identity of several European cities. Visitors can trace this development through multiple locations. Brussels offers the Victor Horta Museum, Tassel House, and Hôtel van Eetvelde as prime examples of the Belgian variant. Barcelona showcases Gaudí's Casa Batlló and Bellesguard alongside the Palau de la Musica Catalana with its elaborate tilework. Paris preserves Hector Guimard's Métropolitain entrances and the Lavirotte Building, while Prague presents the Municipal House and the Bedřich Smetana Museum. Nancy serves as a center of French Art Nouveau with the School Museum and Villa Majorelle, and Budapest displays the style through Gresham Palace and the Liszt Academy of Music. From Riga to Turin, Vienna to Belgrade, these buildings document a brief but influential period when architects reshaped urban environments across the continent.
These palaces serve as official seats for monarchs and presidents. The buildings combine historical architecture with political function and document the evolution of state power. The rooms and gardens showcase various architectural styles and political periods of their respective countries.
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