Changdeokgung Palace - The Kings' Favorite Home

Photo: Basile Morin, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)

A stop on Seoul Palaces, Bukchon and Insadong, a free self-guided tour.

The two-story wooden gate in front of you is Donhwamun, the main entrance of Changdeokgung. First built in 1412 and rebuilt around 1608 after the war of 1592, it is the oldest surviving main gate of any Joseon palace.

Changdeokgung began in 1405 as a secondary palace, but it became the kings' favorite. After the Japanese invasions left the palaces in ashes, this one was rebuilt, and it served as the main royal home for roughly 250 years while Gyeongbokgung lay in ruins. Where Gyeongbokgung lines up on a strict axis, Changdeokgung bends its halls around the hills, and UNESCO listed it as a World Heritage Site in 1997 partly for that harmony with nature.

Behind the halls lies Huwon, the rear garden often called the Secret Garden, with ponds and pavilions tucked into the woods. Parts of it can only be seen on a separate guided tour with limited places, so book ahead. As at Gyeongbokgung, hanbok wearers enter free, and the closing day is different, so check before you go.

Getting here: Walk downhill out of Bukchon to Yulgok-ro and turn east along the main road; Donhwamun faces the street about 10 minutes from the village.

Did you know?: Royals lived here within living memory: Princess Deokhye and Crown Princess Bangja, the last of the royal household, lived in the palace's Nakseonjae hall until both died in 1989.

Photo op: Cross to the far side of the forecourt to fit Donhwamun's double roof and its five doorways into a single frame.

More on Wikipedia: Changdeokgung · Imjin War · Princess Deokhye

Changdeokgung Palace - The Kings' Favorite Home

Stops on this tour