The name Deoksugung translates to ‘palace of virtuous longevity.’. (If you’re really not keen on a guided tour, just visit on Saturday), Access: just east of Jongno 3-ga Station (Lines 1 & 3), Gyeongbokgung: 3,000 won During 500 years of their rule, Joseon Dynasty rulers constructed the five Seoul palaces, and all five are still standing. Includes a quick look at the five grand Seoul palaces: Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Changgyeonggung, Deoksugung & Gyeonghuigung. The largest of the Five Grand Palaces built by the Joseon dynasty, Gyeongbokgung served as the home of Kings of the Joseon dynasty, the Kings' households, as well as the government of Joseon. Family of squashed statues behind Deoksugung. It’s a large site and if you also visit the National Palace Museum and/or the National Folk Museum which both stand on the palace grounds, it’ll take up half a day. Any questions, fire away! Instead of the Korean palace, a faculty for Japanese citizens was built on the location. Exploring the palaces in Seoul is one of my favourite things to do. However it was badly damaged by fire in the 1800s, and then the Japanese occupation finished the job off in the early 1900s.eval(ez_write_tag([[250,250],'4corners7seas_com-large-mobile-banner-2','ezslot_1',119,'0','0'])); The reconstruction standing at Gyeonghuigung today is entirely modern and is also much smaller than the original palace, so this site has the least historical authenticity of the five. The guides are really good and the tour takes around 90 minutes, but if you prefer to wander freely you can do so on ‘Culture Day’ on the last Wednesday of every month, when the palaces all have free entry; it’s still 5,000 for the Secret Garden, but without the requirement to join a tour.eval(ez_write_tag([[250,250],'4corners7seas_com-large-mobile-banner-1','ezslot_0',114,'0','0'])); The Secret Garden isn’t just a pretty garden, it’s actually like an entire additional palace complex with various buildings and pavilions standing in beautifully landscaped surroundings; the entry fee may seem steep, but it’s definitely worth it if you’re there during the spring blossoms or autumn colours: Acess: Line 3 Anguk Station, walk 5 minutes east. Click a photo of a palace to see its location on the map and find out more information. Changgyeonggung Palace. Changgyeonggung is notable for the large grounds it stands on, with beautiful landscaped gardens renowned for their spring blossoms and autumn colours. Do you know there are five palaces in Seoul? 3)Gyeongbokgung Palace. At these locations, visitors can easily glimpse the beauty and culture that lasted over 500 years during Korea’s historic Joseon dynasty (1392-1910). Changdeokgung Palace is also known as Donggwol, the Eastern Palace. Hi all.. i am planning for my trip to seoul this coming mar/apr.. East Palace (Changdeokgung & Changgyeonggung) for genuinely old buildings (rather than modern reconstructions of old buildings), and for the best surrounding gardens. These two palaces are much smaller than the above three, so if you’re not really into palaces but feel like you ought to see one while you’re in the country, you should find one of these two nice and manageable! The five grand palaces of Seoul are must-see sites that will add on to your royal South Korean experience! The other buildings with the enthralling mixture of two different types of architecture are the Jeonggwanheon pavilion and the Seokjojeon hall. I love that they have the palace ticket for only 10,000 won. The unmatched amalgamation of traditional and modern makes South Korea a must-visit in every wanderlust’s travel journal. There’s no better way to start your South Korean journey than a slow walk in and around the Gyeongbokgung Palace. There is a separate entrance fee for Changdeokgung palace and the Secret Garden which boasts pavilions, lily ponds, a stream as well as luscious vegetation. Seoul Palaces (Gyeongbokgung Palace or Changdeokgung Palace) Despite the fact that it was awfully cold on both occasions I’ve visited the two palaces, the view they offer was still stunning. If you’re keen to learn about traditional Korean culture & beliefs, you’ll pick up more at Jongmyo Shrine than at the palaces, not least thanks to the guides – entry is usually only by guided tour (included in the entrance fee), the exception being Saturdays when visitors are free to roam. It’s also notable architecturally for being the only Korean palace with some western-style buildings (dating to the early 20th Century). If you were to pick just one of the places to visit in Seoul, make it this one. Changdeokgung is the second oldest of the 5 palaces, was the main one from 1592 – 1868 (between Gyeongbokgung’s first destruction & reconstruction), and is the only one to have been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Don't leave without check out these must-see palaces in Seoul! You can find all those on Google Maps easily enough, but it doesn’t work for walking routes in Korea so I recommend downloading an app called KakaoMap which does the job nicely. 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