Photos of Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, Korea

Jeonju is the capital city of Jeollabuk-do (North Jeolla Province) and, apart from its modern districts, is well known as the site of Jeonju Hanok Maeul, a historical neighbourhood with more than 800 hanok, traditional Korean houses, one of the largest such concentrations in the country, retaining its historical charms and traditions. Jeonju Hanok Village is magnificent for its unique roof edges, slightly raised to the sky. All the houses are heated with ondol, Korea’s unique sub-floor heating system - since Koreans enjoy sitting, eating, and sleeping on the floor, it needs to remain heated. These houses are warm in the winter and cool in the summer.

Gyeonggijeon Shrine was erected in 1410 and holds the portrait of King Taejo (born Yi Seong Gye), the founder of the Joseon Dynasty in 1392, who two years later relocated his capital to Hanseong (now Seoul). Gyeonggijeon was burned down shortly after the 1592-98 Japanese invasions but was rebuilt in 1614. Historical archives are detailing the administrative affairs of the king.

The nearby Roman-Byzantine styled Jeondong Catholic Church was built between 1908 and 1914, supervised by the French priest François-Xavier Baudounet (1859-1915), on the spot where Korean Catholics were executed in 1781 and 1801. It is also known as the Old Cathedral of Jeondong and the Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.