Getting High at 63 Building, Seoul Tower | |||||
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From The Korea Times By Jeffrey Miller July 14. 2004 |
Two of Seoul��s more visible landmarks (three if you count the majestic Mt. Pukhan rising up to the north of the city) are Seoul (Namsan) Tower and the 63 Building in Yoido. They are the perfect place to escape the daily hustle and bustle of the city and especially if you are looking to get a little ��higher���� in Seoul.
Proudly standing along the Han River, the 63 Building has become one of Seoul��s more popular tourist destinations and the perfect place for family outings on the weekends. Formerly called the Daehan Life Insurance (DLI) the 63 Building has been open since 1985. While the building officially has 63 stories, (only 60 are above ground, the other three are below ground) it remains one of the tallest buildings in Northeast Asia. Besides being a tourist and architectural attraction, the building contains many different attractions and amusements for Seoulites and foreign visitors. Two of its more popular attractions include an aquarium and a 25-meter wide screen in the IMAX Theater. Additionally, the building resembles a small city, with shops and conveniences ranging from beauty salons, to a post office and restaurants. Various stores sell everything from books to clothes to flowers to stationary. By far, one of the more interesting attractions located here is the 63 Aquarium, the largest indoor aquarium in Korea which houses around 20,000 marine animals in a miniature submarine world of tropical jungles, temperate forests, and arctic zones. There are a number of shows that are put on daily including the Harbor Seal Show and the Fish Feeding Display. Despite its small size, the aquarium is rather cozy and intimate. Next to the aquarium, the other popular attraction is the IMAX Theater. It��s worth all the hype, but if you do plan on going to the IMAX Theater, it might be better to go during the week or when children are in school. The weekend gets a bit crazy with kids running around. Of course no trip to 63 Building would be complete without checking out the observation deck on the 60th floor. On clear days one can see as far as 50km, including Inchon. The best time is at night for a breathtaking panoramic view of the city and the Han River. Elsewhere on the observation deck there is an interesting exhibition of photographs highlighting the history of Seoul that is worth checking out while you are up here. 
Across the Han River, Seoul Tower rising up from the pine-dotted summit of Namsan is visible from almost anywhere one travels in the capital city. Built in 1975, Seoul Tower offers breathtaking views of the city and surrounding environs _ weather and pollution levels permitting _ and is one of those must see places in Seoul for tourists and a great escape for locals.
Visiting the observation tower, 370 meters above sea level, or the revolving restaurant provides views of the entire city and surrounding areas. If the views during the day are obstructed by weather and pollution, the best time to appreciate the city��s beauty is to come here after sunset. With Seoul lit up all around you, with red, pink, green and yellow orbs of neon pulsating in the night, you��ve never truly appreciated this magnificent city until you have experienced it from above its crowded streets. Seen from the streets below, the tower is Seoul��s own North Star, guiding you through the night. The revolving restaurant on top of the tower offers a pleasant dining experience with a spectacular 360-degree view which makes one revolution about every 40 minutes. The menu is a bit pricey, but if it��s the ambience and the breathtaking views that you want, you won��t mind shelling out 5,000 won for coffee or some freshly squeezed orange juice. For heartier appetites there are some set-course menus and what restaurant would be complete without that perennial standby, pork cutlet, which will only set you back 12,000 won. The complex containing the Seoul Tower also features several other attractions including exhibition halls displaying pictures of old Seoul, local birds and towers from other countries. For the kids, Fairy Land has several exhibits with Disneyland-like robots depicting famous fairy tales and children��s stories. There��s also an animation theater to appease even the most rambunctious youngsters. |
Summary Seoul Tower and 63 Building is a fatastic place to see a breathtaking view of Seoul. 63 Building in Yoido, contains the lagrest indoor aquarium in Korea and a 25-meter wide screen in the IMAX Theater. There are also various restaurants on the ground and a few under the observtion deck on the 60th floor. The observation deck is the best place to see a breathtaking paroramic view of the city and the Han River. Seoul Tower also provides views of the entire city. It is 370 meter above sea level.In revolving restaurant on the the tower, you can enjoy your meal with a spetacular 360-degree view which makes on revolution about every 40 minutes. The Seoul Tower also includes exhibition halls, Fair land, nd animation theater and the World Folk Museum. |
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Many of the small houses in Seoul��s narrow back alleys have disappeared, replaced by tall buildings under the government��s development programs.
But, oddly enough, people sometimes miss these old places, even though they remind them of a time of poverty.
