The first traditional Korean garden has officially opened near the U.S. capital.

The Korean Bell Garden is located inside the Meadowlark Botanical Gardens in Vienna, Virginia, part of the greater Washington metropolitan area.

The garden sits on an 18-thousand square meter site, and its construction was sponsored by the South Korean government and companies. Funds have been raised since 2005.

The garden features a variety of Korean traditional elements including bell towers, pagodas, wall paintings and ponds.

Various cultural events were held during a ceremony marking the completion of the garden including a performance of "gukak," traditional Korean music and a fashion show of the traditional Korean attire "hanbok."