The Olympic Park (올림픽공원) in Songpa-gu, Seoul was completed in April, 1986 for use in the 1988 Summer Games. In addition to the site's athletic facilities, there is also an Olympic Museum, a number of gardens, a sculpture park, an art museum, a Baekje-era fortress, and the prominent World Peace Gate at the entrance. The Olympic Park was also the site of the 2003 World Cyber Games [1].
[edit] Grounds
The park is set on nearly 2,000,000 square meters of land overlooking the surrounding commercial and residential areas in Songpa and Gangdong-gu [2]. Inside are six stadiums that date to Seoul's Olympics. Additionally there are a number of fields and flower gardens, as well as a small pavillion with accompanying zodiac statues overlooking a small pond opposite two of the gymnasiums. There is a large open field, to the right of the peace gate and the flags, which frequently is used for concerts and performances. The sculpture park is to the right, too. Pedestrian paths lace through the grounds, with the outermost route encircling the park and attractions. A map is available here.
[edit] World Peace Gate
Located across the street from Olympic Park Station, the World Peace Gate is a prominent landmark in the area. Measuring 24 meters high, 37 meters wide, and 62 meters long, the gate is situated at the park's main entrance and overlooks pedestrian, bicycle, and inline skating paths. It is flanked on both sides by traditional Korean masks by sculptor Lee Seung-taek, and the underside of the gate's "wings" feature paintings representative of Korean and East Asian spirituality. Behind the gate, flags of the nations that participated in the 1988 Olympics form a semi-circle, beyond which lies the rest of the park's grounds.
[edit] Athletic facilities
[edit] Mochong Earthen Fortress (몽촌토성)
Dating to the Baekje era, the site was largely excavated and restored during the 1980s. Numerous tombs, pit dwellings, tools, and relics were found in the area, and the fortress has been designated Historic Site no. 297 [3].
[edit] Getting There
- via subway: The park is accessible via a number of subway stations, especially Olympic Park Station.
[edit] Nearby attractions
[edit] External Links
