Cheongju Jungang Park (청주 중앙공원)

Located at the heart of Cheongju city center, Jungang Park is a relaxing space full of cultural heritage and things to do. Its most famous feature is the massive ginkgo tree that has stood here for nearly a thousand years. Ginkgo trees are famously long-lived, so this 30-meter high tree with an 8-meter circumference is majestic and welcoming at once. Its nickname, Apgaksu, is said to originate from its leaves resembling a duck foot. Mangseollu Pavilion, a nugak (a building built to have a view of the surrounding areas without any doors or walls) built during the Goryeo period, is the oldest wooden structure in Cheongju. Another cultural site is the Byeongma Jeoldosa Yeongmun Gate, a door that served as the entrance to the office of Byeongma Jeoldosa. Byeongma Jeoldosa was a Joseon-period position tasked with quelling rebellions. The park also hosts musical concerts and presentations.