Cheonggyecheon Urban Renewal Project in Seoul

"Once a stream that served as the domestic wastewater of Seoul, it has been transformed into one of the most beautiful leisure place in Seoul. The history of Cheonggyecheon begins even before the Joseon dynasty designated Seoul as its capital. Seoul is surrounded by mountains in nature and the stream developed naturally by its natural geographical reasons. Often the stream caused floods, therefore, it needed extensive construction work countless times. During the Japanese colonial period, the colonial government proposed many plans to renovate Cheonggyecheon, however, it failed every time due to lack of resources. In the 1950s, Cheonggyecheon was full of garbage and waste that symbolized the hardships of Korea- the nation had gone through the colonial period and the Korean War. After the Korean War, it served as the biggest wholesale market in Seoul for the past 40 years. However, Cheonggyecheon started major extensive renovation construction in 2003 led by the city of Seoul. Its construction was completed in 2005 and Cheonggyecheon is no longer the poorest area in Seoul, instead it is now a beautiful tourist attraction and a leisure place for Koreans." (Seoul City Tourism Website)

[Slideshow or Downloadable Pictures]

Helpful Links:
Wikipedia - Cheonggyecheon