Wolhwawon: The Chinese Garden To Visit In Suwon
When traveling abroad was difficult, you know the time of which I speak, there began a trend in Korea with people seeking out places that would give them vibes from abroad. Places that weren’t so much hotspots before became hotspots so that people could feel as though they’ve traveled even for just an afternoon and that is why Wolhwawon Garden (์ํ์) in Suwon started trending online. Looking for a traditional Chinese garden in Korea? This is the one to visit.
Get ready to explore this beautiful garden in Suwon:ย
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How To Get There
Address: 399 Dongsuwon-ro, Paldal-gu, Suwon (๊ฒฝ๊ธฐ๋ ์์์ ํ๋ฌ๊ตฌ ํจ์๋ก307๋ฒ๊ธธ 26 (์ธ๊ณ๋))
By public transportation: By subway, you can head south to Suwon City Hall Station and then it’s a 15 minute walk. If you want to opt for a bus, you can catch 540 from Express Bus Terminal to Namtaeryeong Station and then switch to 7001 bus and get off at Freedom Federation just in front of the park.
Basic Info
Hours: 9:00am ~ 10:00pm every day
Best time to visit: Wolhwawon Garden is beautiful year round as the traditional buildings are always standing but it is especially beautiful when it’s lush and green in the summer and into the autumn when the foliage is colorful in the park.
What To Know
There are some beautiful places to visit in Suwon, and this is one of them. We visited this beautiful garden after a visit to Galleria Gwanggyo a cool architectural wonder in Suwon to see. Enjoy some views from inside and go shopping and then head out to the park!
Wolhwawon Garden is located in the larger Hyowon Park and there’s a lot that is surrounding the garden like basketball parks, outdoor exercise areas and more so if you’re walking around and don’t see the garden immediately, keep walking. There’s a lot more to the park than just the beautiful Chinese garden you’re trying to find.
Why was a traditional Chinese garden built in Suwon?
Wolhwawon Garden was built as part of a friendship project between Gyeonggi-do and Guangdong in China. This project was meant to strengthen the relationship between the two provinces which agreed to build traditional gardens to represent each other in each city.
Dramas filmed in Wolhwawon Garden
If you like Korean dramas, you may have already seen parts of Wolhwawon Garden in Suwon. This garden was featured in โMoon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeoโ (๋ฌ์ ์ฐ์ธ โ ๋ณด๋ณด๊ฒฝ์ฌ ๋ ค) with Lee Joon Gi and IU.
What To See
Wolhwawon Garden was built in the style of a Guangdong traditional folk garden from the late Ming Dynasty. There were eighty experts from China that came together to help create the garden devoted to the harmony between humans and nature so pay attention to every detail because there are a lot of intricate things to enjoy aside from the natural surrounding. Some of the unique details to pay attention to are the doorframe shapes and design, the green colored glass in the windows and the patterns of flowers.
If you’ve visited any of the beautiful Korean temples around Korea, you will notice a lot of unique differences if you’re paying attention. The buildings in Wolhwawon Garden are built in the style of the Canton region in China. You can easily navigate around the paths to see each building and enjoy the views of a waterfall and the central pond. Step inside, walk around, and take a seat to enjoy the quiet and peaceful ambiance.
After you enter through the entrance gate which is flanked by guardian lion statues, you can go left or right and just explore at your leisure. There is a pond that you’ll see with a green-tiled window. You can see a covered bridge and plenty of places to take a seat if you would like as you take in the details.
Jichun Gate, a circular gate, leads to a little forest. It’s a beautiful and unique aspect of the garden. As you continue to walk, you’ll see a waterfall and a pavilion atop it that is popular for photos. If you don’t want to wait for your own photos, visit earlier in the day.
Take a look at Buyongsa Pavilion, named after the lotus flower, a beautiful place to take a rest. The garden really is the most beautiful place to take a rest in the park and just enjoy the space. As it has become more popular in recent years, you will have people walking past you a bit more than if you had a picnic out in the larger park as more people want to enjoy the details and unique aspects of Wolhwawon Garden.
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