Hallasan National Park (한라산 국립공원)

  Hallasan is an extinct volcano on Jeju Island of South Korea.

The mountain is located in the centre of the island and is often taken as representing the island itself. There is a local saying stating that Jeju island is Hallasan; and Hallasan is Jeju.

It is also called Mt.Yeongjusan, meaning a mountain high enough to pull the galaxy.

From its warm climate to the cold climate areas, Mt.Hallasan is famous for its vertical ecosystem of plants. 1,800 kinds of plants and 4,000 species of animals(3,300 species of insects) inhabit the area, and due to the well-developed climbing course, you can carefully observe the surroundings.

The mountain is home to Gwaneumsa, the oldest Buddhist temple on the island. The temple was originally built during the Goryeo Dynasty. Like many other temples in Korea, Gawneumsa was destroyed and rebuilt in the 20th century. There is a memorial site outside the temple, remembering the victims of the civil war that took place on Jeju between 1948 and 1950. It is one of the most visited places on the island.

There is a crater lake on Hallasan. It is called Paengnoktam. There is a legend attributing the name of the lake to otherworldly men who descend from heaven to play with white deer.

Mt. Hallasan was designated as a National Park in 1970.

Source:

www.absoluteastronomy.com

www.tour2korea.com

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