Olympic Park

Lonely Planet review

This very large park with lakes and pheasants is best visited by bicycle but the park itself has none for hire. The park contains the sports stadiums built for the 1988 Seoul Olympics - the indoor swimming pool (sometimes open to the public), tennis courts, three gymnasiums and the open-air velodrome where in summer months thousands gamble on the short cycle races.

The Olympic Museum has screens showing the exciting highlights of the long ago 1988 Seoul Olympics, together with a brief history of the Olympics.

Two hundred large sculptures are scattered around the park. Designed and made by artists from around the world, the collection was started during the 1988 Seoul Olympics, but has been growing ever since. Most of the artwork is puzzling even after you have read the artists' descriptions of their work.

A massive Baekje-dynasty earth fortification, Mongchontoseong, built in the 3rd century AD, runs through the park. The small Mongchon Museum has some precious golden relics of the Baekje kings and an unusual seven-pronged sword.

On warm evenings and weekends hundreds of young people go to the park to rollerblade around the plaza, play rollerblade hockey and do skateboard tricks, while members of the older generation play badminton, jog, eat ice cream, picnic under the trees, or exercise tiny dogs.