The Simnidaesup (Simni Bamboo Grove) at the Taehwagang Grand Park sits along Taehwagang River, a major river that flows through the heart of Ulsan.
In summer, the Park is home to more than 8,000 White Herons, and in winter, it offers shelter for 100,000 or so Rooks and Jackdaws. Moreover, Taehwagang Grand Park is well-known for having the largest bamboo forest trail in the country
Taehwaru Pavilion offers panoramic views of Taehwagang River. But it has more than just beautiful views. It also has plenty of secrets to tell.
King Seongjong was the sixth monarch of the Goryeo Dynasty. One year, on his way to Seorabeol (capital city of the Shilla Dynasty), the King made his way to Ulsan. There, he hosted a banquet at the Taehwaru Pavilion which was hailed as one of the eight must-see attractions in the Ulju region at the time.
Taehwaru Pavilion was originally built as a bell tower for Taehwasa Temple by Buddhist monk Jajang during the reign of Queen Seondeok of Shilla.
Thanks to its outstanding views, Taehwaru Pavilion has been quoted in more than 100 poems written by top poets in Korean history such as Kim Si-seup, Kwon Geun, and Seo Geo-jeong.
According to the History of Goryeo, King Seongjong hosted a banquet and ate a large fish caught from the sea.
Historians have hypothesized that Taehwaru Pavilion was near the East Sea, rather than the Taehwagang River.
Based on this theory, some have argued that the large fish the King ate may have been a whale which used to inhabit the waters off the coast of Ulsan since prehistoric times.
Meanwhile, the dense bamboo forest of Simnidaesup (Simni Bamboo Grove) has become a popular place for healing and recuperation along with Bomun Tourist Complex in Gyeongju and Sabang Memorial Park in Pohang.
Taehwagang Grand Park
@Registered by : Gyeongsangbuk-Do Culture and Tourism Organization