A Stroll Through Joseon Era

Seoul, South Korea —

On the fourth day of our family trip, Danny and I brought them to Gyeongbokgung or Gyeongbok Palace (경복궁), the biggest among 5 of the palaces in Seoul. In English, Gyeongbokgung (Hanja: ) means The Palace of Shining Happiness. Another name they call it is The Northern Palace due to its locality. Moreover, it is one of the most visited tourist spots in the capital. A great place to strengthen those hamstrings, too.

It was built in 1395 during the Joseon dynasty and had been destroyed by fire, but King Gojong was able to restore it during his reign. I won’t elaborate more of its history because it’s quite long, repetitive and probably boring to some. To learn more about the palace, please visit their website. Link is at the bottom part of this post. wink

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Statue of King Sejong (father of Hangeul) at Gwanghwamun Square

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Gwanghwamun Gate
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Changing of the guards – 11:00 and 13:00

Right after passing thru Gwanghwamun Gate, we purchased our entrance tickets. cheer

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Geunjeongjeon or throne hall compound
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Inside Geunjeongjeon Hall

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Gyeonghoeru Pavilion (National Treasure # 224)
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Jangandang Hall
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Left to Right: Parujeong Hall, Jibokjae Hall, Hyeopgildang Hall
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Hyangwonjeong Pavilion

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Cheongwadae (청와대) or the Blue House, where the current president is residing and taking office, is situated just outside the palace. In order to enter the vicinity, an online reservation of at least 3 weeks before the desired date of visit is needed.

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Another interesting attraction located beside the palace is the National Folk Museum. It displays over 4,000 historical pieces from the typical Korean life in the old times. A glimpse of what’s inside:

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All sorts of Kimchi

Of all the places to see in the compound, an area called “The Street to the Past” caught my attention most. Here’s why:

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It was my 3rd time to visit the grand palace. In my opinion, it’s getting more crowded each day. We couldn’t even have a decent family picture without photobombers. Oh well! Better luck next time. laugh

That’s it for now. Thank you for spending a little of your time reading my post. What are your thoughts about this palace?

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Address: 161, Sajik-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Entrance Fee: 

  • Adults (19-64)- ₩ 3,000
  • Children (7-18) – ₩ 1,500
  • Combination ticket for the 5 palaces- ₩ 10,000

Operating Hours: Wednesdays to Mondays (Last admission: 1 hour prior to closing)

  • November to February – 9:00 to 17:00
  • March to May, September to October – 9:00 to 18:00
  • June to August – 9:00 to 18:30

Getting there by subway:

  • Gyeongbokgung Palace Station (Seoul Subway Line 3), Exit 5 or 
  • Gwanghwamun Station (Seoul Subway Line 5), Exit 2

Website: http://www.royalpalace.go.kr/