Seoul's history traces back to 18 BC when it was founded by the people of Baekje, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. During the Joseon dynasty, Seoul was officially designated as the capital, surrounded by the Fortress Wall of Seoul. In the early 20th century, Seoul was occupied by the Japanese Empire, temporarily renamed "Keijō" ("Gyeongseong" in Korean). The Korean War brought fierce battles, with Seoul changing hands four times and leaving the city mostly in ruins. Nevertheless, the city has since undergone significant reconstruction and rapid urbanization.
Namsan (Korean:남산; lit.South Mountain) is a 270-metre-high (890ft) peak in Jung District, Seoul, South Korea. It was also known as Mongmyeoksan (목멱산;木覓山) in the past. It offers some hiking, picnic areas and views of downtown Seoul's skyline. The N Seoul Tower is located at the summit of Namsan.
The mountain and its surrounding area is Namsan Park, a public park maintained by the city government, which has panoramic views of Seoul. It is also the location of a smoke signal station called Mongmyeoksan Beacon Tower (목멱산 봉수대;Mongmyeoksan Bongsudae), which was part of an emergency communication system during much of Seoul's history until 1985. From 1925 to 1945 the Shinto shrine known as Chōsen Shrine was situated on Namsan. (Full article...)
Deoksugung Palace (Korean:덕수궁) is a walled compound of palaces in Seoul that was inhabited by members of Korea's royal family during the Joseon monarchy.
Image 3Gyeonghungak was an attached two-storied building of Daejojeon Hall of Changdeok Palace. The first story was Gyeonghungak, and the second story was Jinggwangru. (from History of Seoul)
Image 4Map of boundary expansion of modern Seoul (from 1914 to 1995) (from History of Seoul)
Image 5Gyeongjo-obu-do, an old map of Seoul (from History of Seoul)