Yeongnamnu Pavilion

Spreading its wings on a cliff above a bend of the Miryang River, Yeongnamnu is counted with Chokseongnu in Jinju and Bubyeongnu in Pyongyang as one of Korea's three great pavilions. It belonged to the government guesthouse where distinguished visitors were entertained, and in December 2023 it was upgraded from Treasure to National Treasure. Climb onto its raised floor and look down at the river, and it is easy to see why so many poets and calligraphers left their words here.

History: from temple pavilion to guesthouse pavilion

A Silla-period temple called Yeongnamsa is said to have stood here. After the temple disappeared, a pavilion was built in the Goryeo period, and around 1365 Miryang magistrate Kim Ju rebuilt it and named it Yeongnamnu after the old temple. In 1460 magistrate Gang Suk-gyeong enlarged it, and the scholar-official Sin Suk-ju wrote an account of it.

The pavilion has burned several times. It was destroyed by war in 1582 and rebuilt in 1637, then burned accidentally in 1842 before the present building went up; sources differ on the year of that rebuilding: 1844 or 1884. Miryang lay on the Great Yeongnam Road between Seoul and Dongnae (Busan), so officials on the move stayed at the guesthouse here. In 1931 Yeongnamnu was chosen as one of the "16 Views of Korea".

What to see

• The main pavilion: a two-storey hall five bays by four under a hipped-and-gabled roof. From the upper floor the Miryang River and the town opposite open up between the pillars.
• Neungpagak and Chimnyugak: wing pavilions on either side. The link between the main hall and Chimnyugak steps down in stages with the slope, giving the complex a lively, three-dimensional layout.
• Name boards: the interior is crowded with plaques by famous calligraphers. Take your time looking up under the eaves.
• Seokhwa, "stone flowers": natural patterns in the bedrock of the courtyard look like blossoms. Watch where you step.
• Cheonjingung and Aranggak: the Cheonjingung shrine stands right beside the pavilion, and Aranggak nearby honours Arang, the heroine of a well-known Miryang legend.

Good to know

The area around Yeongnamnu hosts the annual Miryang Arirang Festival and Miryang's cultural heritage night events. The name "Yeongnam" is also the traditional name of the whole south-eastern region of Korea.

The architecture

Yeongnamnu is considered one of the finest late-Joseon pavilions for both its beauty and its size, and the arrangement of a main hall flanked by two wing pavilions is rarely seen elsewhere. The ridge-beam text for the present building was written by Yi Jang-han, and a second text by Kim Heung-geun, written after completion, hangs as a plaque. Comparing the calligraphy styles of the many boards inside is part of the pleasure.

Nearby

• The Miryang riverbank: the park on the opposite bank looks straight at the pavilion and makes a good walk.
• Miryang government office and town wall: a restored county office and the old town wall site are close by.
• Park Si-chun's house: the former home of the popular-song composer Park Si-chun is near the pavilion.

Tripto tips

• Visiting: 09:00–18:00, open every day, free.
• Parking: KRW 500 per 30 minutes, up to KRW 5,000 a day.
• Photos: the best full view is from the riverbank opposite, especially at sunset.
• Time needed: 40 minutes to 1 hour for the pavilion, Cheonjingung and Aranggak. Add the old Miryang government office and town wall site for a walk through the old centre.
• Phone: +82 55-359-5590.