Jeonggwanheon Pavilion

Built around 1900 by Russian architect Afanasy Seredin-Sabatin, Jeonggwanheon blends a traditional Korean tile roof with Romanesque-style stone columns — a deliberate East-meets-West statement from Emperor Gojong, who was trying to present Korea as a modern nation during the Korean Empire period (1897-1910).

Gojong reportedly used the pavilion to drink coffee and entertain foreign diplomats, which is why some call it Korea's first 'café.' Look closely at the wooden columns on the veranda — they're carved with bats and vases, both traditional symbols of good fortune, sitting right alongside the Western colonnade.

Local tip: the name means 'pavilion for quietly viewing the garden,' and it's tucked on a small rise behind Deoksugung's main halls — easy to miss if you don't look for the signposted path.