Seoul to open Sejong Center rooftop as public garden with palace views

A rendering of the new public rooftop observatory at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in Seoul, scheduled to open by the end of 2026. Courtesy of the Seoul Metropolitan Government

Seoul will soon have a new, elevated vantage point where residents and visitors can take in the capital’s ancient imperial history and dramatic mountain skyline, completely free of charge.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government said Tuesday that it has cleared the final architectural and administrative hurdles to transform the flat, underutilized roof of the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts into a lush public garden and observation deck. Groundbreaking is scheduled for September, with plans to open the space to the public by the end of the year.

The Sejong Center, a grand concrete-and-granite complex, has long served as a prominent anchor of the city's cultural life. Yet, while audiences have packed its concert halls, public access to its expansive rooftop has remained restricted. City planners now view the roof as a crucial link to tie Gwanghwamun Square, the arts center and Gyeongbok Palace into a single, cohesive cultural corridor.

The project is part of a deliberate municipal campaign to carve out open-air vantage points for everyday citizens in the densely packed capital. City planners have increasingly sought to repurpose government and public assets to offer panoramic views without requiring expensive admission fees.

Just recently, the city opened Sky Observatory, a glass-walled viewing space on the ninth floor of City Hall. Reached via a dedicated elevator, the observatory has quickly become a hit among locals and tourists looking down over the walled grounds of Deoksu Palace.

The Sejong Center project, however, offers an even more historically resonant vista.

Standing on the new rooftop garden, visitors will look directly north toward Gyeongbok Palace, the grand 14th-century primary palace of the Joseon Dynasty, with the granite peaks of Inwang and Bukhan mountains rising sharply around it.

To ensure the space remains highly accessible, the city will construct a new glass elevator on the building’s exterior facade and apply universal design principles to accommodate elderly and disabled visitors. The completed space will feature landscaped green paths, quiet resting areas and an outdoor cafe.

"This is about returning Seoul’s beautiful landscapes back to its citizens," said Ahn Dae-hee, the city’s director general of future space planning. "We are creating a new public sanctuary where Seoul’s deep history, vibrant culture and natural landscape can coexist in daily life."

This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.