Monday, August 8, 2011

Momente din Seul 32. Piata Gwanghwamun / Seoul Moments 32. Gwanghwamun Square

As symbol of power, in front of the most important palace of Seoul, Gwanghwamun Square witnessed over 600 years of history right in the heart of the city. The square is marked by two important monuments and ends in the Northern part with Gyeongbok Palace and the Bukhansan Mountain. 

The modern buildings blend well in the landscape, without to suffocate it. They are mainly bank venues but also the oldest press building in Korea, Dong-a Newspaper Building.
The place is very busy all the day long. But people come here also to enjoy this large square full of flowers and to admire the singing fountain (only in the evening, when I was not there, unfortunately).

Admiral Yi Sun-sin, invented kobukson, the turtle war-ship and through his brilliant strategy won 23 naval battles, gaining a an important place in the national history. This is the reason you may see one of his imposing statue in this square.

Sejong, another bright figure in the Korean history, invented hangul - the Korean modern writing, numerous astronomical devices, initiated many reforms to help his people. This is way the posterity granted him the name of "the Great". The monumental complex in the square presents some o his inventions, and also scenes of his life.

Near the square, you find the Zero Milestone Monument, which indicates the distances, in straight line, to 53 Korean towns and 64 worldwide. It is an easy walk from here to more touristic objectives like: Gyeongbok and Deoksegung Palaces, Cheonggye Channel and City Hall Plaza, with "the global street" and the Wongudan Temple, which I already described in different posts.

Cu cei 557 m lungime si 34 m latime ai sai, Piata Gwanghwamun sta ca marturie a peste 600 de ani de istorie in chiar inima orasului. Ea este marcata de doua impozante statui, cea a amiralului Yi Sun-sin si a regelui Sejong cel Mare. Pe fundal, in partea de nord a pietei, Palatul Gyeongbok (http://travelinghawk.blogspot.com/2011/07/momente-din-seul-28-palatul-gyeongbok.html ) si Muntele Bukhansan, constituie accentul necesar pentru frumusetea piesei.
Locul a fost, inca din timpul dinastiei Joseon, simbolul puterii si asa a ramas si astazi, cand parte din puterea financiara a metropolei este concentrata in sediile bancilor care se afla aici. Cladirile moderne fac un contrast placut cu monumentele din zona, fara sa o sufoce.
Fiind inima vie a orasului, piata este aglomerata dar, in acelasi timp. constituie un loc de plimbare si recreere in spatiul dintre cele doua monumente. Fiind o zona circulata intens si de turisti, ea pare potrivita si pentru exprimarea unor nemultumiri personale, asa cum face personajul din fotografie, care si dadea glas opiniilor/doleantelor sale (evident, n-am inteles ce vrea).
In imediata apropiere a pietei se afla monumentul care reprezinta Kilometrul O al orasului. Cele patru blocuri de piatra centrale indica punctele cardinale, iar cele 12 de pe circumferinta, reprezinta animalele zodiacale. Pe sol sunt inscrise distantele pana la 53 orase coreene si 64 orase din intreaga lume, calculate in linie dreapta.
 Kilometrul O
Despre amiralul Yi Sun-sin si a sa kobukson (nava de lupta imbracata in metal, ca o carapace, fapt ce i-a atras numele de "vasul-testoasa") am vorbit si in postarea despre Memorialul razboiului  (http://travelinghawk.blogspot.com/2011/05/momente-din-seul-11-memorialul.html) Strategia sa stralucita, care l-a facut sa triumfe in 23 de batalii navale si inventarea vasului de razboi amintit, i-au asigurat amiralului un loc in istoria natiunii. De aceea nu e de mirare ca i s-a ridicat acest monument chiar in piata centrala a orasului. De acolo, de sus, de pe piedestalul sau si venind parca din negura istoriei, Yi Sun-sin priveste in jos, la urmasii sai si se bucura probabil de realizarile lor.
 Amiralul Yi Sun-sin
Fantana din jurul sau adauga dinamism peisajului, racoreste aerul si atrage oamenii spre seara cand si canta, se pare.
 
Trecand pe langa bancile originale, pline de flori si culoare, ajungi in preajma celui de-al doilea monument, din varful caruia te saluta insusi regele Sejong cel Mare.
De fapt, nu este doar un singur monument, ci un complex pentru ca, in fata sa, se afla cateva dintre instrumentele astronomice pe care el le-a inventat, iar in spate, pe cateva coloane sunt redate scene din viata sa, cuprinzand cele mai insemnate realizari pentru care acest rege instruit, intelept, cu aplecare spre stiinta si cu iubire pentru poporul sau,  a primit apelativul de "cel Mare".
Cei care doresc sa se fotografieze in costume de epoca, le au la dispozitie tot in aceasta zona. Oferta e serioasa, asa ca e greu sa alegi!
Din piata se poate ajunge cu usurinta, mergand pe jos, la palatele Gyeongbok si Deoksegung, la Canalul Cheonggye si la City Hall Plaza, cu "strada globala" si Templul Wongudan, precum si la alte obiective turistice.Asta insa dupa ce te-ai familiarizat cu planul orasului...


26 comments:

Randy said...

Another wonderful set of photos.

Duncan D. Horne - the Kuantan blogger said...

Good to 'see' you again. I love the flower beds!

Duncan In Kuantan

RIZALENIO said...

Singing fountain. First time I heard about it. Hope to see something like that soon. I saw dancing fountain once in Singapore. :)

I love how they did the landscape. Very brilliantly combining modernity to sustain the environment. South Korea is really an inspiring place. Lots of things to see and learn just by looking at your photographs, my friend. Reading about it is the best reward. Thanks for being generous in sharing your trips.

Traveling Hawk said...

Thanks, Randy!

Traveling Hawk said...

Thank ou, Duncan, for the welcome. I am also glad to continue my story.

Traveling Hawk said...

Hi, Rizalenio! Yes, there are dancing and singing fountains. I regret that I had no time to be there at the right moment: it happens during the summer time. I even heard a sea organ in Zadar, Croatia, where "the song" is produced by the sea waves hitting some pipes in the embankment.

Unknown said...

bine ai revenit din vacanta. spre ca te-ai simtit bine si ti-ai incarcat bateriile.
ce ma fascineaza ca-n lumea ceia super moderna, plina de cladiri din sticla de un modernism iesit din SF pe tine parca tot istoria te atrage cel mai mult.

Liliana said...

Ce frumos e kilometrul 0 :), mi-a placut ca isi scriu distantele fata de orasele lor, si apoi fata de altele. Frumos!
O intrebare, ca nu e f clar. E zona pietonala toata piata? Ca in unele poze sunt si masini, e pe langa, nu?

Traveling Hawk said...

Multumesc pentru urari, pharaonx! Da, ma atrage istoria pentru ca ea este unica in fiecare tara si, de obicei, rezista si ajung la noi doar lucrurile bine facute...Imi place si arhitectura moderna si ei chiar au, slava Domnului, dar timpul fiind scurt, a trebuit sa aleg. Si apoi, istoria lor e cea care m-a dus acolo:)

Traveling Hawk said...

In jurul pietei se circula, Liliana, e normal, doar e inima orasului dar spatiul acela mare din mijloc e "liber la pietoni":)

RIZALENIO said...

Oh wow! Sea organ - just thinking about how will this produce sounds is thrilling already, what more to see this in person. Mother Nature is really surprising...not to mention, highly creative. :)

VP said...

I like everything, but obviously my eye was caught by the sleek oval benches!

Joop Zand said...

I like your travel series, very good work as always.

greetings, Joop

Traveling Hawk said...

Do you want them, VP? You may have them.

Traveling Hawk said...

I am glad, Joop, that you appreciate what am I doing here. Thanks!

Traveling Hawk said...

The sea organ was created by man, Rizalenio, and I think it's a marvelous idea! Zadar was the only place were I saw something like that.

Doug Hickok said...

The varieties of architecture and street art are just amazing to see. Thank you Traveling Hawk, for being our eyes in this beautiful place.

Traveling Hawk said...

You are welcome, Doug! I hope that more tourists will go to see for themselves this beautiful city.

joo said...

I love the modern architecture there. This city is really grand!
Thanks for your all lovely comments:)

Traveling Hawk said...

You are welcome, Joo! Thanks for your visit here.

Anonymous said...

Impresionant, ca de fiecare data!

Traveling Hawk said...

Multumesc, teodora13! Orasul asta a fost impresioannt!

cartim said...

Ce imi place dragonul acela, super arata , si cat de bine se imbina traditia cu modernele clasiri de sticla

Traveling Hawk said...

Multumesc pentru comentariu, Cartim!

J_on_tour said...

The details on the columns are amazing and it is nice to be able to enjoy those wide open spaces.

Traveling Hawk said...

Yes, J_on_tour, they are nicely made. The mountains give a nice character to the city.