Imcheonggak House

Imcheonggak was built from 1519 by the Goseong Yi family and was once among the largest private houses in the country, ninety-nine kan by tradition - the maximum a commoner household could build. It is best known for two things. The first is Gunjajeong, a T-shaped pavilion in the grounds, one of the finest surviving buildings of its type. The second is what happened to it: in 1941 the colonial administration ran the Jungang railway line straight through the estate, demolishing more than half the buildings, a decision generally understood as directed at the family, which had produced a large number of independence activists - eleven, more than any other single household. For decades trains passed a few metres from the surviving quarters. The line has since been rerouted and a restoration programme is returning the lost sections, so what you see depends on when you visit. Entry is free and parts function as a hanok stay.

What you actually see

• Gunjajeong pavilion - the T-shaped hall in the grounds.
• The surviving quarters - what was left after the demolition.
• The old rail cut - the ground where the line ran through.
• The restoration - sections being rebuilt as work proceeds.

When to go

April to June and September to November. Free and open. Because restoration is ongoing, some areas are fenced - worth checking current status before a special trip.

Honest expectations

A large part of the estate is gone and what remains is a fragment plus works in progress. Interpretation is limited in English. Rooms in use for stays are not open to visitors.

Nearby

Woryeonggyo bridge is at the river; Hahoe village and Dosan Seowon are outside the city.