The 108 Steps in Seoul’s Huam-dong connect a steep residential hillside with Haebangchon. Built during Japanese colonial rule, the stairway now carries layered memories of occupation, postwar settlement, and a neighborhood adapting to difficult terrain.
Quick facts
- The steps were built in 1943.
- They were originally an approach to Gyeongseong Gokok Shrine.
- A sloped elevator was installed in 2018 to improve access.
More places in Seoul
Banpo Bridge Rainbow Fountain
Banpo Bridge’s Moonlight Rainbow Fountain turns bridge infrastructure into a long line of water, light, and sound. The installation makes the river crossing visible as a public stage, while its length emphasizes how closely engineering and spectacle can share one structure.
Banpo Hangang Park
Banpo Hangang Park spreads along the river beneath Banpo and Jamsu bridges, joining walking paths and lawns with the lights of the city. The park’s famous bridge fountain is one attraction, but the wider experience is a public river edge designed for everyday movement and gathering.
Bongeunsa Temple
Bongeunsa Temple holds an older Buddhist landscape beside Gangnam’s contemporary skyline. Its wooded grounds, halls, and large Buddha create a quiet change of scale, while the temple’s documented history reaches back to the Silla period.
Bukchon Hanok Village
Bukchon Hanok Village is a lived-in Seoul neighborhood between Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, and Jongmyo Shrine. Its traditional houses preserve distinctive rooflines and courtyards, but residents’ everyday lives remain central; visitors should keep voices low and respect private homes.
Changdeokgung Palace
Changdeokgung is arranged to follow the contours of its wooded setting, a contrast with more rigid palace plans. Built in 1405 as a secondary palace, it later served as the main royal residence for long periods, and its gardens preserve a balance of ceremony and retreat.
Changgyeonggung Palace
Changgyeonggung was built for royal women and family life beside Changdeokgung. Its east-facing main axis and layered rebuilding history distinguish it from Seoul’s other palaces, while its grounds preserve traces of a painful transformation into a public park.