Cheongju:
Cheongju is the capital city of Chungcheongbuk-do (province), South Korea. The city is divided into two wards ("Gu"), Heungdeok-gu (western part of the city) and Sangdang-gu (eastern part of the city).
Cultural properties
- Sangdangsanseong (Sangdang Mountain Fortress) lies on the slopes of Mt. Uam within the city limits. The fortress is comprised mainly of a 3-4 meter tall wall that stretches over 4.2 kilometers in circumference. The present walls date to the 1716 restoration of the site. Within the walls lies a small tourist village that has several restaurants.
- Cheongju National Museum also lies near Mt. Uam, and houses several exhibits of cultural artifacts from the nearby area.
- Heungdeok Temple Site is the home to the Early Printing Museum, and is purported to be the site of the printing of Jikji, the oldest existent book printed using movable metal type. The museum itself contains exhibits related to the art of printing through the ages.
- Yongdusaji Cheoldanggan (The Iron Flagpole of the Yongdu Temple Site) is designated Korean National Treasure number 41, and is located near Cheongju Department Store in downtown Cheongju. Made of twenty iron cylinders, the flagpole stands 13.1 meters tall, and was formerly used to hang flags to honor the Buddha.
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