New garden path winds from Gyeongbok Palace to Cheong Wa Dae

A roadside garden near Sinmu Gate along Cheongwadae-ro in Jongno District, Seoul / Courtesy of Jongno District Office

A once traffic-heavy corridor in central Seoul is being transformed into a tree-lined walking route designed to pull visitors out of cars and into the rhythm of the seasons.

Jongno District said Wednesday that it completed a 4.3-kilometer roadside garden project linking areas around Gyeongbok Palace, Samcheong-ro, Hyoja-ro and Cheongwadae-ro.

The project, developed over three years at a cost of 346 million won ($230,000), was designed to create a pedestrian-friendly green corridor where tourists and residents can experience seasonal landscapes while walking through some of Seoul’s most historically significant neighborhoods.

District officials said the effort focused on blending urban greenery with historic surroundings near Gyeongbok Palace and Cheong Wa Dae.

Old flower beds and aging planting areas were renovated, while plants of varying heights were arranged to create layered garden scenery along the streets.

Hanging flower pots were also installed at pedestrian eye level to make flowers and greenery more visible throughout the route.

The section along Cheongwadae-ro was renovated between November and May.

Near Sinmu Gate, workers created landscaping inspired by traditional Korean gardens and added granite planters and seasonal flowers.

The road’s central divider was planted with about 700 hydrangea shrubs, including mountain hydrangeas and panicle hydrangeas, to create a summer floral display.

Autumn landscaping includes fountain grass and silver grass, while winter arrangements feature dogwood trees and evergreen sedges.

Samcheong-ro, completed in 2024, was designed with natural stones and flowering plants to reflect the atmosphere of a traditional garden.

Along Hyoja-ro, trees, including azaleas, Prunus japonica and Corylopsis, were added to existing ginkgo-lined streets near the palace walls.

District officials said the corridor was already attracting visitors during the spring flower season, particularly photographers and pedestrians seeking scenic walking routes in central Seoul.

A Jongno District official said the completed green corridor would help turn the Gyeongbok Palace and Cheong Wa Dae area into a destination where visitors could enjoy both history and nature on foot.

This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.