In 1972, UNESCO adopted the World Heritage List to designate historical sites around the world. These are sites that have significant cultural value. The following are some of the current historical sites in South Korea:Changdeokgung Palace ComplexThe Changdeokgung Palace Complex (창덕궁;昌德宮) was built in 1405 by King Taejong (태종;太宗) of the Joseon Dynasty. Located in Seoul, it was burned down during the Japanese invasion of 1592. It was reconstructed in 1609 and served as the royal seat for the next 300 years. The Changdeokgung complex was registered on UNESCO’s World Cultural Heritage List in 1995.
Jongmya ShrineEstablished in the 14th century, Jongmyo (종묘;宗廟) is the oldest shrine in the Confucian form and is dedicated to the ancestors of the Joseon Dynasty. Built by King Taejo (태조;太祖), it was once considered the longest building in Asia. There were a total of nineteen rooms, or chambers, built to house the memorial tablets of the kings and queens. This shrine was also burned down and then reconstructed in 1601. The main hall, Jeogjeon (), is the longest traditional style building in Korea. Jongmyo Shrine was added to the UNESCO list in 1995.
Gochang, Hwasun and Ganghwa Dolmen SitesThese prehistoric stone tomb markers, called dolmens, date back to the 1st millennium BCE. Located at Gochang, Hwasuan and Gargwha, dolmens are greatly concentrated in Korea and provide a wealth of archeological data about the ancient peoples who lived and buried their dead in this region.
The dolmens began appearing around 1000 BCE and served as grave markers of the elite that were buried beneath. They are appealing to visitors because of the diversity in their architectural shapes. There are two types that exist: the table or northern type, and the go-board or southern type.
The Gochang site houses the Jungnim-ri dolmens which are the largest and most diverse group. They reside mainly in the mountain foothills in the Village of Maesan and range from 1 to 5.8 meters tall. The Hwasun groups consists of two sets of dolmens. The Hyosan-ri and Daesin-ri have 287 monuments between them. The Ganghwa dolmens located on Ganghwa Island appear to predate all the dolmens found at the other locations.
More on UNESCO World Heritage sites in Korea coming soon...
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