Deokjin Park (덕진공원)

Deokjin Park is a representative city park of Jeonju. Officially designated a city park in April 1978, it is centered around a natural pond, which dates back to the Goryeo dynasty (918-1392). The park is such a landmark of the area that the lotus flowers blooming in the park’s large pond are considered one of the most impressive attractions of Jeonju. The park spans an area of 13,000 ㎡ with the pond covering about two thirds of the southern sector. An arch-shaped suspension bridge stretches across the middle of the pond, offering up-close views of the lotus blossoms.

Park designers created a traditional pavilion and a water iris garden in honor of the park’s historical background and added an artificial waterfall and wooden bridge for visual effect. The park also houses nine stone monuments including the Children’s Charter, engravings of Shin Seok-jeong and Kim Hae-gang’s poetry, and a statue of General Jeon Bong-jun.

The park is the site of the annual Dano Changpomul (Water Iris) Festival, a much-anticipated event held on the day of Dano (a Korean traditional holiday that falls on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month). During the celebration, women wash their hair in iris-infused water from the pond to wish for good health in the coming year.