Discover culture, art and landscapes in Wonju

For a trip to Wonju, you can focus on culture, history or landscapes. Gangwon Gamyeong, Museum SAN and the Sogeumsan area are part of the wider Wonju-si travel context and offer different perspectives on the region.

The History of Gangwon Province

Gangwon Gamyeong served as the administrative center of Gangwon Province for around 500 years, from 1395 until it was abolished in 1895. Its responsibilities included administering the 26 districts, prefectures, counties and administrative districts of the time. Its long period of operation and the many levels of administration offer a concrete insight into the province’s former organization.

Seonhwadang is the only surviving central building of a Gangwon provincial administration and a nationally designated cultural treasure. Visitors interested in the region’s administrative and architectural history will find a distinctive historical point of interest here.

Art and Architecture at Museum SAN

Museum SAN brings together art and architecture with the natural surroundings and the changing seasons. Tadao Ando designed the museum as a concrete structure; it opened in May 2013 with the completion of a work by James Turrell. Under the motto “Disconnect to Connect,” the museum focuses on relaxation through art and nature, as well as experiences involving paper and analog activities.

The visitor route is also divided into several stops. It leads from the Welcome Center and the landscaped parking lot past the Flower Garden, Ground Antony Gormley Wing (2025), Sculpture Garden and Space of Light (2023) to the Water Garden and Main Building. Next come the Stone Garden, Meditation Wing (2019) and James Turrell Wing. The sequence connects garden areas, architecture and named art spaces in a walking route.

Paths and Bridges at Sogeumsan

The paths and structures in the Sogeumsan area vary in length and character. The 360-meter-long Salt Jando runs as a cliffside walkway along a rock face below the summit. The Sky Tower offers broad views of the landscape encircled by Samsancheon; it is also a landmark of Sogeumsan Grand Valley. The 700-meter-long Sogeumsan Deck Walking Trail offers a stroll with views of the Sogeumsan landscape.

The bridges can be compared in terms of length: the Sogeumsan Suspension Bridge, which opened in 2018, is 200 meters long and 100 meters high. The Sogeumsan Ulleong Bridge measures 404 meters, making it twice as long as the existing Suspension Bridge. This allows you to compare the stated measurements of the two bridges directly, while noting that height and length are different measurements.

Literature and Regional History in the Township

In the associated township, Park Kyung-ri Literature Park preserves the author’s former house, garden and writing room in their original form. Three themed gardens—Pyeongsari Madang, Hongi Dongsan and Yongdurebeol—evoke the setting of her novel “Toji.” The park offers a way to explore the connections between literature, garden spaces and the novel’s setting.

Wonju History Museum collects, preserves, researches and exhibits the history and traditional cultural heritage of Wonju. Historical contexts covered include Pyeongwon, Bukwongyeong and Gangwon Gamyeong. The museum aims to show how Wonju has developed up to the present day.

Practical Information for Hanji Theme Park

In the associated township, the café at Hanji Theme Park sells light meals and tea. Visitors may eat food they bring with them in the outdoor park; in bad weather, eating indoors is only possible after contacting the office in advance. As operating details and visitor information may change, check the café’s offerings and picnic guidance before your visit.

Discover more destinations: Pyeongchang, Goseong, Yangyang-Gun, Inje-Gun, Sokcho, Hongcheon, Donghae, Cheorwon-gun.

Go to the main travel overview: Gangwon-Do.