The Cheongwadae (commonly syllabicated Cheong Wa Dae) -- or the Blue House -- is the executive office and official residence of the South Korean head of state, the President of the Republic of Korea and located in the capital city of Seoul. The Korean name literally translates to "pavilion of blue tiles." The Blue House is in fact a complex of buildings, built largely in the traditional Korean architectural style with some modern elements.
Built upon the site of the royal garden of Joseon Dynasty (1392–1897), the Blue House now consists of the Main Office Hall (본관; 本館), the Presidential Residence, the State Reception House (영빈관; 迎賓館), the Chunchugwan (춘추관; 春秋館) Press Hall, and the Secretariat Buildings. The entire complex covers approximately 250,000 square metres or 62 acres.
Famous quotes containing the words blue and/or house:
“Tommy is three and when he’s bad
his mother dances with him.
She puts on the record,
“Red Roses for a Blue Lady”
and throws him across the room.”
—Anne Sexton (1928–1974)
“Whenever our neighbour’s house is on fire, it cannot be amiss for the engines to play a little on our own.”
—Edmund Burke (1729–1797)