Browsing the NYT Travel section today, this mention of the Cheonggyecheon in Seoul caught my attention right away. How cool that further development of a city wishing to grow and prosper begins with the unearthing a river that had been covered by pavement for over four decades ago. So often we hear of development efforts that harm the environment, as was the case when the Cheonggyecheon was originally sealed under an expressway 48 years ago. It's nice to see a reversal like this. Since the river was restored in October, over 10 million people have braved the cold to catch a glimpse of the 6.8 mile pristine stream. As this website explains in words and through historical photographs, restoring Cheonggye Stream has helped recover 600 years of Seoul's history and culture and is helping the city be reborn as an ecologically friendly urban area. There are about 20 bridges that connect the city of Seoul across the rejuvenated stream along the way.

Filed under: Stories