A 550-Year-Old Tree That Changed Its Official Name Three Times

The Banghak-dong Ginkgo Tree is estimated to be around 550 years old, and its official designation has shifted from "protected tree" to "monument" to, most recently, "natural heritage."

Key takeaways

A scientific age survey by the National Institute of Forest Science estimates the Banghak-dong Ginkgo Tree at 550 years old, plus or minus 50 years. Fact The tree was designated Seoul's first Protected Tree in 1968, then redesignated Seoul Monument No. 33 in 2013, and most recently redesignated as Seoul Natural Heritage in July 2024. Fact

Each renaming reflected a shift in how institutions viewed this tree — from simple protected-tree status, to a heritage worth commemorating, to the more integrated concept of natural heritage.

What to look for on site

The trunk's girth and shape, reflecting its estimated 550 years
Signage documenting the tree's shifting official designations
How close it is, on foot, to the Kim Su-yeong Literature Museum

Visitor tip

During peak fall foliage, crowds gathering to photograph the tree can make the area around it congested.