Information
Landmark: Seoul City HallCity: Seoul
Country: South Korea
Continent: Asia
Seoul City Hall, Seoul, South Korea, Asia
Overview
Seoul City Hall (서울시청) stands as one of the city’s best-known landmarks, a glass-and-stone hub where the hum of official business shapes the daily life of South Korea’s capital.Right in the heart of Seoul, just steps from Gwanghwamun Square and Seoul Plaza, it serves as a major political hub and a bold piece of architecture, where sleek glass walls meet the curve of a tiled Korean roof.Seoul City Hall’s story reaches back to the early 1900s, when its first building-erected in 1926 under Japanese rule-stood with tall stone arches and a clock watching over the busy streets.The original building, blending neo-classical grace with bold art deco lines, once housed the Japanese colonial administration; after independence, it became the seat of South Korea’s government, its marble floors echoing with new voices.In Seoul, the building stood as both a treasured piece of history and a striking landmark, its stone façade catching the afternoon light.By the early 2000s, it no longer served its purpose, and cracked pipes and worn wiring made major renovations unavoidable.New City Hall Building (2008–present): Completed in 2008, Seoul’s new City Hall rises in sweeping glass curves and has since become a striking landmark of modern architecture.The new building combines sleek, modern lines with the city’s old stone charm, opening up wide, sunlit spaces that invite everyone in.Key features and architecture: Picture a sturdy framework with clear entry points, like a doorway that opens into a well-lit hall.The new Seoul City Hall blends sleek modern lines with eco-friendly design, its glass walls catching the afternoon light.People recognize the building for its curved glass exterior, a sweep of shimmering panels that looks like a wave caught in motion.The glass façade catches the light in a way that stops you in your tracks, and it also pulls its weight by helping the building use less energy.The building’s roof doubles as a green space, with a small garden where visitors can pause and take in leafy views against the city skyline.By weaving greenery into the building’s design-a row of maples brushing the glass-Seoul shows its dedication to sustainability and eco‑friendly urban growth.Number two.The new Seoul City Hall’s roof bursts with bright, living greenery, making it impossible to miss.The public space features a garden and an observation deck where you can look out over Seoul Plaza and the streets beyond, with the hum of traffic drifting up from below.The building’s green roof is one of its key environmental efforts-it cuts carbon emissions, keeps heat from slipping out in winter, and adds a patch of living plants to the city skyline.Three.The Historic City Hall Building: Once the heart of city business, the old hall now stands beside its modern successor, carefully preserved and given a new purpose.Renovated to host cultural spaces and public exhibitions, it keeps its historic charm alive-stone archways and all-while feeling right at home in today’s Seoul.Seoul kept the old building standing as a sign of its respect for history and heritage, while the glass-and-steel curves of the new City Hall show its drive toward progress and modern life.Number four.Seoul Plaza, the wide open square stretching out in front of City Hall, is a key feature of the complex.It’s an open spot where people come together to protest, join public events, or simply stand shoulder to shoulder in the crowd.The Plaza buzzes with life, hosting festivals where music spills into the streets, fiery political demonstrations, and colorful cultural performances.In winter, it’s home to a sprawling ice-skating rink, the sound of blades scraping over the ice.When summer rolls in, the square turns into a bubbling fountain and a sunny spot to unwind.Seoul City Hall serves as the heart of the Seoul Metropolitan Government, where the mayor’s office and other city officials work behind tall glass windows overlooking the busy square.It’s the place where the city shapes its policies, maps out plans, and makes big decisions-sometimes over the hum of a dusty conference fan.The building also hosts press conferences, public meetings, and city government events, from budget announcements to packed council debates.Cultural and Public Engagement: While it functions as a government hub, the building’s design invites people in, with wide glass doors that open straight onto the plaza.It hosts cultural exhibitions, art displays, and lively public events, giving people a place to gather, talk, and experience the colors and sounds of local life.The old City Hall now buzzes with cultural exhibitions, while its lower floors hold the Seoul Metropolitan Library, where visitors can browse shelves of books, tap into digital archives, and settle into a quiet corner to read.Inside the old City Hall, one of its standout features is the Seoul Metropolitan Library, where tall windows spill light across rows of worn wooden tables.The sprawling library holds shelves upon shelves of books, plus maps, archives, and other treasures, making it a vital hub for the city’s culture and learning.You can walk into the library for free, settle into a quiet corner with a book, study at a wide wooden table, or join one of its many educational programs.City Hall isn’t only where official business happens-it’s also where neighbors gather for concerts in the courtyard and community talks that spill into the evening.Visitors can wander through exhibitions, join lively events, and take in public programs the city puts together, like an open-air concert on the square.At the Seoul City Hall Museum, visitors can wander through exhibits inside the old stone City Hall building.At the museum, you can dive into the story of Seoul City Hall-its walls, its past-and trace how the city itself has grown and changed through the years.Many exhibits spotlight the city’s political past, trace its shifting culture, and show how its streets and skyline have changed with time.Seoul Plaza, stretching out before City Hall, welcomes people to lounge on the grass, enjoy live music, or join in lively civic gatherings.When the days turn warm, it’s the perfect spot to sit back and watch bicycles weave through the streets, but once winter settles in, it becomes a bustling ice-skating rink.Seoul City Hall and the open expanse of Seoul Plaza often host major public gatherings and festivals, like the Seoul Lantern Festival in November, when glowing lanterns light up the night and cast warm colors across the square.The festival brings Korean culture, art, and history to life with a dazzling light show that paints the night in deep reds and golds.The Seoul Kimchi Making & Sharing Festival is a favorite near City Hall, where visitors roll up their sleeves for cooking classes, swap jars of the tangy, spicy cabbage, and explore colorful exhibitions.On New Year’s Eve, the area around City Hall turns into the heart of the celebration, with crowds pressing in to cheer the countdown and gasp at bursts of gold and red fireworks.Seoul City Hall sits in the heart of the city, just a short walk from Gwanghwamun Square, the open expanse of Seoul Plaza, and the historic Namdaemun Gate.You can get there easily by subway-City Hall Station on Lines 1 and 2 sits just a few steps from the building’s front doors.The building is open to the public on weekdays, but the cultural exhibits, library, and other areas follow their own schedules-like the library’s doors closing as the scent of old paper lingers in the air.Seoul Plaza stays open all year, welcoming visitors to stroll across its wide stone square in any season.
