KOREA FOUNDATION

Have you ever been to the Swiss village in the township of Seorak in Gapyeong County, Gyeonggi Province? Edelweiss Swiss Theme Park is home to Swiss-style buildings and various Switzerland-themed halls and museums where visitors can feel like they have been transported to the Central European country. In the Switzerland-themed halls, visitors can encounter snowy mountains, the St. Bernard dog of the Swiss Alps, and the alpenhorn (Swiss horn).

In another themed hall named Swiss Story, visitors can listen to stories about Maienfeld, the hometown of the fictional character Heidi, and about the Swiss Guards at the Vatican. In the hall named Bern Bear (the bear is the official symbol of Swiss capital Bern), visitors can see not only Bern bears but also the “Edelweiss bear” and “Heidi bear.”

The park’s museums also provide eye-catching sights. The Coffee Museum presents the story of coffee through a world map that details the history and global route of the drink through text, illustrations, and installations against a black background. From the museum’s terrace, visitors can take in the vast view of Gokdal Mountain and the spacious field under the hills.
At the bright yellow Cheese Museum, cheese models and dioramas present the history and process of traditional Swiss cheese-making. A little Switzerland in Korea, Edelweiss Swiss Theme Park is loved for its numerous stories and symbols of the European country.

Written by Lee Haeng-rim
Illustrated by EEWHA

GapyeongSwiss Theme ParkBern bears