Hyangwonjeong

Hyangwonjeong (Korean: 향원정; Hanja: 香遠亭; lit. Far-spreading Fragrance Pavilion^[2][3]) is a pavilion in the palace Gyeongbokgung in Seoul, South Korea.^[2]

Hyangwonjeong
The building in the fall (2014)
General information
Location	Gyeongbokgung, Seoul, South Korea
Coordinates	37°34′56″N 126°58′37″E
Designations
Treasures of South Korea
Official name	Hyangwonjeong Pavilion of Gyeongbokgung Palace
Designated	2012-03-02[1]
Korean name
Hangul	향원정
Hanja	香遠亭
RR	Hyangwonjeong
MR	Hyangwŏnjŏng

The building is a two-story hexagonal pavilion on an island in the pond Hyangwonji (향원지; 香遠池) that was used for leisure.^[2][4][5] It was built some time between 1867 and 1873.^[5] The building is named for a phrase in the Chinese text Ailianshuo [zh].^[2][3] In 1894, Western missionaries demonstrated figure skating to the royal family on the frozen pond.^[5] Various temporary buildings were constructed around the pond for the 1929 Chōsen Exhibition.^[6] The bridge to the pavilion, Chwihyanggyo (취향교; 醉香橋; Ch'wihyanggyo; 'Intoxicated by Fragrance Bridge'^[5]), was completed in 1873.^[2] It was the longest wooden bridge built over a pond during the Joseon period.^[5] The bridge was initially located to the north of the pavilion,^[2][7][5] but after it was destroyed by a bombing during the 1950–1953 Korean War,^[4] it was rebuilt to the south side in 1953. In 2021, the bridge was restored to its original location.^[5]