Do you want to have a break right in the heart of the city? Then City Hall Plaza is the right place for you! It's easy to be reached if you take the no.1 subway line and get down to the City Hall Plaza Station, not far from the Deoksegung Palace.
The building of the City Hall has been erected on 1926, under Japanese occupation. It is a massive, austere, gray stone construction. I have not seen it, as a new city hall is erected right now. The place is surrounded by pannels with the cultural festival "Hi, Seoul" logo, and images of the city life. I only succeed to take a future "archive" photo of the impressive building site.
The big green patch in the center of the plaza is connected with the recent Korean history. Great movements, like 1919 Movement for Independence and 1987 pro-democracy movement, held their demonstrations here. Even the soccer fans gathered here on 2002, to cheer for their team, with the ocassion of the World Cup.
A ground level fountain presents a nice view of water columns and lights (in the evening). An amazing flow of cars is to be observed day and night. A lot of tall buildings, mostly hotels or media sites, surround the place.
Before I left, I read on internet that the Netherlands ambassador offered 7000 tulips to the Mayor of the city, to be planted as a symbol of 50 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
I will come back later to this place, to show you one of the city's gem, which even some of the Seoulites don't know about!
Vreti sa zaboviti putin chiar in inima pulsanda a orasului? City Hall Plaza este locul potrivit! Luati metroul de pe linia 1 si coborati la statia cu acelasi nume. Daca Seul este considerat unul dintre cele mai dinamice orase din lume, cu siguranta aceasta piata este unul dintre cele mai dinamice locuri din oras!
Primaria orasului, construita in 1926, in timpul ocupatiei japoneze pare a fi o cladire austera si masiva, din piatra de culoare gri. Spun "pare" pentru ca acum ea este inclusa intr-un amplu plan de refacere, iar santierul este bine mascat, asa ca nu am vazut nimic din cladirea respectiva. In schimb, santierul m-a impresionat prin felul ordonat si deloc plictisitor in care arata. La exterior este mascat de panouri care poarta sigla festivalului cultural "Hi, Seoul", cu numeroase imagini din viata capitalei. Prin poarta pe care ies camioanele de pe santier am facut si eu o fotografie "de arhiva".
Piata aceasta plina de agitatie zi si noapte mai are cateva locuri in care peisagistica isi spune cuvantul, pe care trecatorul grabit le observa sau nu...
Aici va fi locul in care am regasit o comoara a orasului, necunoscuta chiar si multora dintre locuitorii sai, despre care voi povesti in curand.
The building of the City Hall has been erected on 1926, under Japanese occupation. It is a massive, austere, gray stone construction. I have not seen it, as a new city hall is erected right now. The place is surrounded by pannels with the cultural festival "Hi, Seoul" logo, and images of the city life. I only succeed to take a future "archive" photo of the impressive building site.
The big green patch in the center of the plaza is connected with the recent Korean history. Great movements, like 1919 Movement for Independence and 1987 pro-democracy movement, held their demonstrations here. Even the soccer fans gathered here on 2002, to cheer for their team, with the ocassion of the World Cup.
A ground level fountain presents a nice view of water columns and lights (in the evening). An amazing flow of cars is to be observed day and night. A lot of tall buildings, mostly hotels or media sites, surround the place.
Before I left, I read on internet that the Netherlands ambassador offered 7000 tulips to the Mayor of the city, to be planted as a symbol of 50 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
I will come back later to this place, to show you one of the city's gem, which even some of the Seoulites don't know about!
Vreti sa zaboviti putin chiar in inima pulsanda a orasului? City Hall Plaza este locul potrivit! Luati metroul de pe linia 1 si coborati la statia cu acelasi nume. Daca Seul este considerat unul dintre cele mai dinamice orase din lume, cu siguranta aceasta piata este unul dintre cele mai dinamice locuri din oras!
Primaria orasului, construita in 1926, in timpul ocupatiei japoneze pare a fi o cladire austera si masiva, din piatra de culoare gri. Spun "pare" pentru ca acum ea este inclusa intr-un amplu plan de refacere, iar santierul este bine mascat, asa ca nu am vazut nimic din cladirea respectiva. In schimb, santierul m-a impresionat prin felul ordonat si deloc plictisitor in care arata. La exterior este mascat de panouri care poarta sigla festivalului cultural "Hi, Seoul", cu numeroase imagini din viata capitalei. Prin poarta pe care ies camioanele de pe santier am facut si eu o fotografie "de arhiva".
segment din panoul care inconjoara constructia
santierul noii Primarii a Seulului
Piata din fata Primariei este un loc ce tine de istoria recenta a orasului. In 1919 aici a fost locul de desfasurare a Miscarii pentru Independenta, iar in 1987 tot aici au avut loc demonstratiile in cadrul miscarii pro-democratie. Locul a ramas unul deschis manifestarilor publice. Fanii s-au adunat aici in 2002, cu ocazia Cupei Mondiale de Fotbal, pentru a-si incuraja echipa.
In mijlocul circulatiei nebune, o insula de verdeata, cu o fantana moderna, la sol, cu joc de ape si lumini adauga un strop de caldura umana unui spatiu dominat de umbra marilor hoteluri si de sirul nesfarsit de masini. Pe o latura a pietei, Palatul Deoksegung (pe care vi l-am aratat deja), face legatura prezentului agitat cu calmul aparent al trecutului. Spun "aparent" pentru ca istoria Coreei numai calma nu a fost, fiind punctata mereu de razboaie.
Piata Primariei - se mai observa coloanele de apa ale fantanii care tocmai isi inceta jocul
panoul din fata Primariei si macaralele de pe santier
in prim plan, fantana - oprita
Dupa cum spuneam, piata este inconjurata de cladiri inalte, majoritatea hoteluri sau sedii de presa.
City Hall Plaza
The Plaza Hotel
Inainte de a pleca, am citit pe internet o stire potrivit careia ambasadorul Olandei a donat primarului orasului 7000 de lalele, pentru a fi plantate in oras. Acest gest marca sarbatorirea a 50 de ani de relatii diplomatice intre Olanda si Coreea de Sud.
18 comments:
Although it looks a very busy place, it's good to see that there is some regard to plant vegetation and colour. I love the reflection in the building.
Thank you, J_on_tour! Koreans do love flowers and nature in general, so they always make it part of their lives.
The Plaza Hotel looks worth visiting!
Duncan In Kuantan
You have a wonderful talent for capturing the sense of a place. I especially like the cloud reflection in the glass skyscraper!
Looks like a perfect plays to stay.
Have a great weekend!
Very nice photos!!!
Seoul is wonderful place, elegant buildings, all are beautiful!!!
Thank you for this nice trip!
Many greetings
It's sure too expensive for me, Duncan:)
I like it when I saw it, si I tried, Doug. Thanks!
Thanks, Joo! Nice weekend for you too!
Magda, it is so! Seoul is a wonderful city and I didn't explore much of it!
Have a wonderful Sunday!
My brother was stationed there for four years and I have seen more of it from your blog than I've ever seen.
Hmmm...am ramas in suspans! :)
Wow, Randy, that's a great achievement for me:)
E de bine, VertAnge?:)
I always like the modern part of these cities...
I like them too but I look first for the old ones, as those makas the difference...I must admit that, as concern modern styles, Seoul is wonderful.
Arata foarte amestecat, si zgarie nori, si flori si iarba verde. Aduce a cosmopolit.
Asa si este, Liliana! Seul este un oras cu o puternica personalitate, care a fost anul trecut leaderul in design al lumii dar care a stiut sa isi pastreze foarte bine trecutul. Daca as putea, m-as mai intoarce acolo.
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