To celebrate the arrival of autumn, the Seoul Metropolitan Government launched a special map on Monday showing Seoul’s top 20 scenic spots to visit in fall. 

The map points out 20 different venues encompassing the capital’s history for tourists and locals who are in the mood for some autumn adventure.

“Re-creation of the old” is a theme that is shared among the sites and truly speaks out to those who desire to experience an intersection of old and new Seoul.

The map suggests a visit to a section of the famous stone wall surrounding Deoksugung palace, which was restored and opened to the public just last month. The 170-meter section of the 1.1-kilometer wall had been occupied by the British Embassy here for nearly 60 years. It displays traditional South Korean architecture meeting the beauty of fall foliage.

An abandoned oil reserve base in Mapo, northwestern Seoul, was recently re-created into a “cultural reserve base,” an eco-friendly park housing several cultural infrastructures. The oil depot now houses a concert hall and exhibition center.

An underground military bunker in Yeouido, South Korea’s main financial district, is also a unique spot where Seoul transformed a forgotten war venue into a modern art space for locals. It had been off-limits to the public since the 1970s and its reopening this month is expected to draw many curious visitors.

The map also recommends a stroll on the overpass-turned-park Seoullo 7017, which received over 3 million visitors by its 100th day open. Seoul also plans to finalize the renovation of 6.3 kilometers of railroad tracks in Nowon, northeastern Seoul, to an eco-friendly trail. The trail is set to open in November.

For more information visit www.seoul20.com.

By Jung Min-kyung (mkjung@heraldcorp.com)