Gyeongbokgung Palace 경복궁

Gyeongbokgung was the first and largest of the five royal palaces built in Seoul during the Joseon dynasty, and it remains the city’s most visited historic site. Its grand halls sit on a north–south axis between Gwanghwamun Gate and the slopes of Bugaksan, with the modern city pressing in on three sides. It is the natural starting point for anyone exploring Seoul’s palaces.

Highlights

• Gwanghwamun and Heungnyemun gates – the formal approach to the palace, where the guard-changing ceremony is performed in reconstructed Joseon-era uniforms.
• Geunjeongjeon – the throne hall, raised on a two-tier stone platform. Rank stones in the courtyard once marked where officials stood during state ceremonies.
• Gyeonghoeru Pavilion – a large banquet hall standing on stone pillars in an artificial pond, one of the most photographed views in Seoul.
• Gangnyeongjeon and Gyotaejeon – the king’s and queen’s living quarters, with the terraced Amisan garden and its decorated chimneys behind them.
• Hyangwonjeong – a small hexagonal pavilion on an island in the northern part of the grounds, reached by a wooden bridge.
• Geoncheonggung – a residential compound added in the 19th century, where Empress Myeongseong was assassinated in 1895.

Tips for visiting

Arrive close to 09:00 or come after mid-afternoon to avoid the largest tour groups. Watch the 10:00 guard ceremony at Heungnyemun, then head deeper into the grounds while the crowds linger at the front gates. The palace is closed on Tuesdays, which makes Tuesday a good day to visit Changdeokgung instead, since that palace closes on Mondays.

Hanbok rental shops line the streets around Anguk and Gyeongbokgung stations, and wearing a full outfit gets you in free. If you plan to see several palaces, the integrated ticket covers Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung (main palace only), Changgyeonggung, Deoksugung and Jongmyo. Most buildings can only be viewed from outside, so there is a lot of walking on gravel and stone; comfortable shoes help.

The National Palace Museum, which displays royal artefacts from the Joseon court, stands just inside the grounds near the main entrance and makes a good rainy-day addition. The tree-lined lanes of Bukchon Hanok Village start a short walk east of the palace.

History in brief

King Taejo founded the palace in 1395, three years after establishing the Joseon dynasty, and its name expresses a wish for the new dynasty’s good fortune and prosperity. Hangeul, the Korean alphabet, was created and promulgated here in the 15th century. The palace burned during the Japanese invasion of 1592 and lay in ruins for about 270 years until it was rebuilt in 1867 under King Gojong.

During the colonial period most buildings were torn down, and a massive Japanese Government-General building was put up in front of the throne hall in 1926. Restoration began in the 1990s, the colonial building was demolished in 1996, and reconstruction of halls and gates has continued since. Getting there is easy by subway; see our transportation guide for using the Seoul metro.