Tower N Seoul, a landmark in the city

N Seoul Tower (Namsan Tower) is an iconic landmark and symbol of Seoul at the top of Namsan Mountain. The tower is the number one tourist attraction in the Korean capital, offering world-class views of the city skyline and the Han River, day and night.

Measuring 236 metres from its base to its summit, Seoul's N Tower rises some 480 metres above sea level. It is the highest point in Seoul, offering a 360-degree view of the entire city. It was also the very first general radio tower in South Korea and continues to broadcast signals for media such as SBS, MBC, KBS and FM.

Construction of the Namsan Tower began in 1969 and the tower began broadcasting in 1971. It was not until 1975 that the famous observatory was built and in 1980 that the tower was opened to the public. In 2005, the name of the tower was changed to N Seoul Tower, the "N" standing for "Namsan", "new" and "nature".

A 2012 survey conducted by the city revealed that the N Seoul Tower was ranked as the number one attraction in Seoul among visitors. Today, the tower receives an average of 8.4 million visitors a year.

As well as being a landmark, the N Seoul Tower can be visited day and night. Thanks to the latest LED technology, the tower is always illuminated in a variety of colours and patterns. The protected area around the N Seoul Tower is also intended to show the harmony that can exist between nature and state-of-the-art 21st-century construction. General vehicular traffic is restricted in order to keep Namsan Mountain clean and green.

1. Seoul N Tower observatory

The main attraction of Seoul's N Tower is its observatory. Perched high up, you can see the city from the clouds, particularly from the tower's observation deck. The 3F's main observation deck has large floor-to-ceiling windows all around the tower, giving a full 360-degree view. There is information on various points of interest that can be seen through the windows and plenty of comfortable chairs around too. One floor up from here, on 4F, is the digital observatory. This floor has high-powered telescopes and every window panel lets you know which of the world's great cities you're looking at.

The N Seoul Tower observatory is open all year round from 10am to 11pm from Sunday to Friday and from 10am to midnight on Saturdays. However, the entrance to the observatory closes half an hour before closing time. Access to the observatory also requires an entrance ticket. The entrance fee is 10,000 won for visitors aged 13 and 8,000 won for children aged three to 12 and people over 65.

2. Hanbok Culture Experience Center

The Hanbok Culture Experience Center is located in the lobby of N Seoul Tower Square. It offers visitors the opportunity to participate in two traditional cultural experiences themed around the Joseon Dynasty. In the Hanbok Experience, travellers can dress up in traditional clothes and take photos. In the traditional wedding experience, guests dress in wedding attire and have their photo taken by a professional photographer. The centre is open from 11am to 10pm. Tickets cost 4,000 won for guests aged 14 and over and 1,000 won for children under 13. Children under 7 get in free.

3. Love padlocks

As well as a visit to the observation deck, one of the main activities for couples at Seoul's N Tower is to hang a padlock on the fence around the square. Couples write their names, initials or even a short message on the locks before attaching them to the fence as a symbol of their undying love. The activity is commonly known as 'love padlocks' and is popular with locals and tourists alike. For your information, you can buy a padlock in the souvenir shop.

4. Namsan Park

Namsan Park is a large public park spread across the slopes of Mount Namsan, surrounding the N Seoul Tower. Stunning views of Seoul are available from almost every area of the park, which also contains picnic spots and numerous hiking trails. The park is visited by over 20,000 people a day who want to experience nature in the heart of the sprawling city. It is open every day and boasts a wide range of facilities, including a botanical garden, library, pond and numerous sports facilities. Namsan Park is a great place to explore before or after your visit to the tower.

5. Namsangol Hanok village

The village of Namsangol Hanok is located on the north side of Namsan Mountain, not far from N Seoul Tower. The village contains five restored traditional houses dating back to the Joseon dynasty. The village also has a traditional Korean garden, a square and an arts stage. It's a great place to walk around and take part in some traditional activities, such as wearing a traditional hanbok, attending a tea ceremony, watching a taekwondo performance and attending a traditional wedding ceremony. There is no entrance fee for Namsangol Hanok Village and it is open every day except Monday. Opening hours are from 9am to 9pm. From April to October and from 9am to 8pm from November to March. The traditional garden, however, is open 24 hours a day.