Blue House

Blue House

The Blue House is the official residence of the President of South Korea, located at 1 Cheongwadae-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul. It is called the "Blue House" because the roof of its main building is covered with blue tiles. The Blue House consists of the main building, auxiliary buildings, spacious front and rear gardens, and a lotus pond. The main building includes the President’s office, reception rooms, meeting rooms, and living quarters, while the auxiliary buildings include the Secretariat, Security Office, Chunchugwan (press center), and the Guest House.

Overall, the Blue House complex features seven main attractions: Chunchugwan, the Green Lawn Garden, the site of the old main building, the main building, the Guest House, the Seven Palaces, and the fountain. Among these, Chunchugwan is where over 170 journalists cover and report on the President's governance. The first floor houses the press room and press briefing hall, while the second floor contains a multifunctional room used by the President for New Year's press conferences and various other events. About a 10-minute walk from Chunchugwan is the most beautiful garden in the Blue House complex — the Green Lawn Garden. Established in 1968 and planted with over 120 species of trees, it is the venue for outdoor events such as "Children’s Day with the President and First Lady." The main building adopts the "hip-and-gable roof" style, considered the most elegant in Korean architecture, and is covered with traditional Korean blue tiles. It serves as the office for presidential duties and for receiving foreign dignitaries.

Tours of the Blue House are available from Tuesday to Saturday, four times a day, and are open to both local citizens and foreign tourists. Please note that visitors are only allowed to take photos at designated spots, video recording is not permitted, and no food is allowed inside. Each tour lasts approximately two hours.

Blue House

Reason to visit: The most politically significant site in South Korea

Continent: Asia

Country/Region: Korea

Province/State: Seoul Special City

City: Jongno-gu