KBS News Plaza video for the 4th week of July features many places wherelotusesare beautifully blooming.

It seems like a good idea to go on a lotus flower trip to the suburbs of Seoul.

Sunguijeon Shrine

Address: 7 Ami-ri, Misan-myeon, Yeoncheon-gun, Gyeonggi-do

Great figures of Goryeo remembered even in the Joseon Dynasty

It is a place where the Joseon Dynasty enshrined the spirit tablets of the kings and loyal subjects of the Goryeo Dynasty and performed ancestral rites.

Built on the site of Angamsa, where King Taejo Wang Geon of Goryeo had sent troops, Sunguijeon Shrine is more than just a simple shrine,

It is also an important historical site that shows how Joseon treated the previous dynasty.

Great figures of the Goryeo Dynasty enshrined in Sunguijeon Shrine

At first, only the spirit tablet of King Taejo Wang Geon of Goryeo was enshrined, but gradually the spirit tablets of the 8 kings of Goryeo were enshrined,

expressing respect for the Goryeo Dynasty. However, during the reign of King Sejong of Joseon, the number of kings to be enshrined in the Jongmyo Shrine was limited,

so the number of kings enshrined in Sunguijeon Shrine also decreased.

Nevertheless, Joseon also enshrined the spirit tablets of 16 loyal subjects of Goryeo, showing respect for the Goryeo Dynasty.

In particular, they showed special interest in finding descendants of King Hyeonjong of Goryeo, giving them the name of "pilgrimage" and making them officials in charge of ancestral rites.

Rebuilt after being destroyed during the Korean War, reviving history

Sunguijeon Shrine was renovated several times during the Joseon Dynasty, but unfortunately, it was completely burned down during the Korean War.

Fortunately, it was designated as a historical site in 1972 and rebuilt in 1973,

Currently, it has various annex buildings including Sunguijeon Shrine with a front of 3 bays and sides of 3 bays, Bae Sin Cheong, and Ian Cheong.

Yeoncheon Sunguijeon Shrine is not just a place to honor the figures of the Goryeo Dynasty, but also a precious place to understand the flow of our history andlearn the wisdom of our ancestors.

Why not visit Sunguijeon Shrine and feel history in its tranquil atmosphere?

Semiwon Garden

Address: 93 Yangsu-ro, Yangseo-myeon, Yangpyeong-gun, Gyeonggi-do

Semiwon Garden, a 62,000-pyeong garden, mainly plants lotus flowers, which have excellent water purification capabilities, contributing to the purification of the Han River water.

Summer, when lotus flowers are in full bloom, is the most beautiful season, and the garden is decorated with themes according to each season, providing attractions throughout the year.

It also aims to be a multi-cultural space that combines ecological environmental education, experiential education, and exhibition activities.

(Source: Korea Tourism Organization)

Janggok-sa Temple

Address: San 19, Janggok-ri, Daechi-myeon, Cheongyang-gun, Chungcheongnam-do

It is a temple located on the Chilgapsan Mountain trail. It is said that the temple was first built 850 years ago (during the reign of King Munseong of Silla) by the monk Bojo Seonsa Chejing,and it has been renovated many times over the long years that followed. The temple is simple and neat.

Inside the temple, the Sangdaeungjeon and Haddaeungjeon, which have different shapes and orientations, catch the eye.

The Sangdaeungjeon appears as you climb the stairs next to the Haddaeungjeon below.

The Treasure-designated Haddaeungjeon is a 3-bay by 2-bay multi-pillared gable-roofed building that enshrines a gilt Yaksa Buddha seated statue (Treasure).

The Treasure-designated Sangdaeungjeon is a 3-bay by 2-bay building with a gable roof that enshrines an iron Yaksa Buddha seated statue (National Treasure).

Janggok-sa Temple has 2 National Treasures and 4 Treasures, including these.

In particular, the Janggok-sa Temple cherry blossom road is one of the 100 most beautiful roads in Korea, along with a spiral road,where cherry blossom branches form a tunnel, creating a magical atmosphere in spring when the cherry blossoms bloom.

(Source: Korea Tourism Organization)

Ilsan Lake Park

Address: 595 Hosu-ro, Ilsan-dong, Ilsan-gu, Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do

It is the largest artificial lake park in the East, covering an area of 300,000 pyeong.

To manage the water quality of the 90,000-pyeong freshwater lake, clear water from the upstream of the Jamsil underwater weir is precipitated with chemicals and then stored (released).

With a 4.7 km bicycle-only road that circles the park, including a waterfront plaza, artificial islands, children's playgrounds, nature learning centers,Danjanghak (crane), musical fountain, and over 100 species of wildflowers and over 200,000 towering trees,it is a popular leisure destination in the metropolitan area as a resting place and a learning place for nature for schools of all levels.

It is famous as the venue for the Goyang Flower Festival and exhibition held every spring and fall.

(Source: Korea Tourism Organization)

Olympic World Peace Gate

Address: 51 Wiryesung-daero, Songpa-gu, Seoul

Introduced ahead of the Paris Olympics on July 24, 2024, this is the World Peace Gate commemorating the 1988 Olympics.

It is a reinforced concrete symbolic structure designed by Kim Jung-up, a leading Korean architect, with a height of 24.111 meters, a roof length of 62.111 meters, and a width of 37 meters, and was completed on September 12, 1988.

It is the main symbol of the Olympic Park and serves as the main gate, and is considered one of the nine scenic spots of the Olympic Park.

The English name is "World Peace Gate".

It is modeled after the shape of a dove, a bird symbolizing peace, with its wings spread, and in front of it is the Olympic emblem.

On the ceiling of the wing section, there is a mural by Baek Geum-nam (Professor at Sungkyunkwan University), a Western painter.

Near the Peace Gate are sculptures by sculptor Lee Seung-taek called "Yeoljuta," surrounding it.

He created sculptures in the form of traditional masks, reinterpreting them in a modern way, on top of 60 or so pillars.