While Seoul’s skyline may not be what the city is best known for, Seoul still has a variety of buildings and structures that visitors will find of interest.

Having been an ancient capital for centuries, there’s no shortage of structures from the past- both grand and smaller in scale- that embodies Korea’s culture and spirit. Seoul’s five royal palaces are among the best to admire the aesthetics of Korean architecture and offers an intimate look at Korean royalty life. To see some contrasts try visiting Gyeongbokgung, a largely administrative palace, and Changdeokgung, a mostly residential palace to see how the structures reflect their function. Other historic sites of interest for architecture-lovers include the former city gates of Seoul of which there are now six in total. The Seoul City Wall may seem like any city wall on first glance but on closer inspection, you’ll notice there are many facets to its design and function along with a long-running history. The Seoul City Walking Tours are a great way to find out more about the walls’ structure through a free guided tour.

You can also observe a number of historic buildings from the last century up close at a number of different places around Seoul. Most of these structures were built during the Japanese colonial era in the early 1900s. Some of the most representative structures from this period includes the former Seoul Station which doesn’t function as a train station anymore but has reopened as a multicultural space called ‘Culture Station Seoul 284’. The former Seoul City Hall now serves as a public library but inside you’ll find old photographs of the building and Seoul as well as explanations on the structure’s construction.

Near the popular Myeongdong area you’ll also find important buildings from this era including the old Woori Bank building, the Shinsegae Department Store, and the main building of the Bank of Korea. You’ll find that most of them have a European design and influence to them, reflecting the style that was popular with during that time.
Another neighborhood, the Jeongdong neighborhood just behind Deoksugung Palace, is dotted with beautiful Romanesque-style structures including the Seoul Museum of Art, the Shina-A Building, and the Seoul Anglican Cathedral. And speaking of cathedrals, the landmark Myeongdong Cathedral is noted as one of the earliest and representative examples of Gothic Revival architecture in Korea.

Plenty of modern structures reflect the futuristic and creative side of Seoul. The space-ship like Dongdaemun Design Plaza has become one of Seoul’s most iconic structures since opening in 2014. Designed by the renown late architect, Zaha Hadid, its fluid design both inside and out is a must for architecture lovers. The floating islands of Some Sevit is comprised of three floating structures on the Han River and its beautiful design (especially when lit at night) and ingenious way it anchors and stays with the rising and falling of the Han River is quite unique.

The new Seoul City Hall appears as a giant glass wave about to crash down on the former city hall building. Among the highlights of the eco-friendly building is a 7-story vertical garden called the Green Wall, named by the Guinness World Records as the largest vertical garden. In the east, the brand new Lotte World Tower juts 555m into the sky and has the distinction of being the world’s sixth tallest building. In Hannamdong, the eye-catching Hyundai Card Music Library has a 14.5 meter tall canopy at its entrance which opens to show a scenic skyline behind the building.
Other noteworthy buildings in the north include the Buk Seoul Museum of Art where nature and modernity comes together, the Ewha Womans University Campus Center which integrates into the sloping hillside, the Jongno Tower, and the zipper-like Seoul Central Post Office.

South of the river, the shiny Galleria Department Store, the House of Dior in Apgujeong, the award-winning Boutique Monaco, and the hole-dotted Urban Hive are just a few of the unique buildings you’ll want to check out.