Guard outside Cheong Wa Dae

A guard stands in a portable sentry box outside the Blue House - Cheong Wa Dae (청와대), just north of Gyeongbokgung palace in Seoul, South Korea.

The Blue House is the office and official residence of the president of the Republic of South Korea. It is actually a complex of buildings, its Korean name Cheong Wa Dae (청와대) means “pavilions of the blue roof tiles”.

The site of Cheong Wa Dae has been used for government buildings since 1104, when King Sukjong of the Goryeo dynasty had a royal villa built there. After the Joseon dynasty was founded, King Tajeo, the first King of the Joseon dynasty, had Gyeongbokgung palace built just to the south of Cheong Wa Dae, and the current site of Cheong Wa Dae was used for civil service examinations and miltary training.

In 1939, during the Japanese occupation of Korea, the Japanese had an official residence and office built for the Governor-General of Korea on the site of Cheong Wa Dae. In 1948 the first Republic of South Korea was formed, and president Syngman Rhee decided to use Cheong Wa Dae as the president's official office and residence. He called the complex Gyeongmudae (경무대), but its name was later changed to its current name, Cheong Wa Dae (청와대), by president Yun Bo-seon, after his inauguration in 1960.

During Roh Tae Woo's presidency, it was decided that a new presidential office and residence should be constructed, as it was thought to be inappropriate for the president of Korea to be using the Japanese colonial era buildings. The current main building and residence of Cheong Wa Dae were built in 1991 and 1990, previously the second floor of the main building had been used as the president's private residence.

The blue roof tiles which give Cheong Wa Dae its name were individually made, and can last for over 100 years without becoming discoloured. The Main building and its two annexes are covered with 150,000 of the blue coloured traditional Korean roof tiles.

Behind Cheong Wa Dae can be seen Bukhansan (북한산), the highest mountain in Seoul, rising to 836m above sea level at its highest point.

• Asia
• 한국
• Hanguk
• 韓國
• Seoul Special City
• Seoul Teukbyeolsi
• 서울特別市
• 서울특별시
• Jongno-gu
• 종로구
• 鐘路區
• Blue House
• 청와대
• Cheongwadae
• 靑瓦臺
• President
• Republic of South Korea
• Gyeongmudae
• Presidential Residence
• 景武臺
• 경무대

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