Gyeongbokgung

Gyeongbokgung Palace, embodying the wish for “great blessings that will last forever,” stands as a testament to Korea’s rich history.

A Jewel of Korean History

Gyeongbokgung Palace, also known as Gyeongbok Palace, is the largest and most magnificent of the Five Grand Palaces built during the Joseon Dynasty in Korea. Located in the heart of Seoul, it stands as a symbol of the nation’s rich history and cultural heritage.

A Royal Residence and Symbol of Power

Founding and Significance:

  • Gyeongbokgung was first constructed in 1395, serving as the main royal palace for the Joseon Dynasty.
  • It represents the sovereignty and authority of the Joseon kings, making it a crucial historical landmark.

 

Architectural Grandeur:

  • The palace boasts stunning traditional Korean architecture, showcasing intricate details and vibrant colors.
  • Key structures include Geunjeongjeon (Throne Hall), Gyeonghoeru Pavilion, and Hyangwonjeong Pavilion, each with its own unique beauty and historical significance.

 

Historical Ups and Downs:

  • Gyeongbokgung has endured periods of destruction and restoration throughout its history.
  • It was burned down during the Japanese invasions of the 16th century and later rebuilt in the 19th century.
  • Also during the Japanese occupation in the 20th century, the Palace was once again dismantled, and then later restored again.
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Visiting Gyeongbokgung Today

Cultural Experience:

  • Visitors can immerse themselves in Korean history and culture by exploring the palace grounds.
  • Traditional guard changing ceremonies and other cultural events are often held, providing a glimpse into the past.

 

Scenic Beauty:

  • The palace’s gardens and surrounding landscapes offer breathtaking views, especially during the spring and autumn seasons.
  • The Palace grounds are very large, and offer many photo opportunities.

 

Accessibility:

  • Gyeongbokgung is easily accessible by public transportation, making it a must-visit destination for tourists.
  • Many people visiting the Palace rent traditional Korean clothing called Hanbok, and take pictures in the palace grounds.
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Gyeongbokgung Palace is a testament to Korea’s enduring legacy, inviting visitors to step back in time and appreciate the beauty and grandeur of its royal past.

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Gyeongbokgung Palace
4.6
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AZADEH ZAMANI
01:44 10 Mar 25
Visiting the historic Gyeongbokgung Palace was a wonderful experience of Korean history and culture. Wearing traditional Hanbok and walking among the ancient buildings made me feel like I was back in time. The area around Gyeongbokgung Palace is the best place to take beautiful photos. During this trip, I used the website beautipin to find the best routes, travel tips, and also to book tickets. The website helped me plan carefully and get the necessary information easily.
N. C.
00:42 10 Mar 25
klarese donnelly
00:41 10 Mar 25
Boyon Kim
19:03 09 Mar 25
If you visit Korea, be sure to stop by. Wear Hanbok and take some great photos and memories.
Bubur Ayam Apin
01:09 04 Mar 25
Kathy
23:17 03 Mar 25
Sheng Yi Lim
16:29 03 Mar 25
well maintained, very good structure shown.Not much explanation about the history or the story about this place here, which I felt quite surprised.*if planning to rent their traditional costume, can just go in without purchasing entrance ticket, it will be free.**5PM is the closing time, make sure you get in before 4, and 4:30PM they started to ask tourists to leave.
Leon Su LS
08:32 03 Mar 25
필립현
02:31 03 Mar 25
Dan Ramos
23:28 02 Mar 25
Historical
Saret Official
22:25 02 Mar 25
I like
Katrin Gek
22:24 02 Mar 25
Jeffery Lee (雞蛋糕生活美學)
15:23 02 Mar 25
Wearing Hanbok can enter the park for free. There are many Hanbok shops nearby. The Gyeongbokgung Palace building is well preserved and the cultural relics are collected in the museum. Basically, you can see this building. The park is very large and you can spend about two hours wandering around.
김종호 (조나킴)
01:49 02 Mar 25
Gyeongbokgung Palace is a representative palace of the Joseon Dynasty located in the center of Seoul. The moment you enter Gwanghwamun, you will be overwhelmed by its grand scale and delicate architectural style. There are buildings with historical stories throughout the spacious palace, making you feel as if you are traveling through time. In particular, the beautiful pond and magnificent pavilion of Gyeonghoeru are admirable. Gyeongbokgung Palace, which shows different charms in each season, presents beautiful scenery with colorful flowers in full bloom in the spring and autumn leaves. Also, the changing of the guard ceremony is one of the must-see attractions. Gyeongbokgung Palace is a place where you can vividly experience Korean history and culture, and it is an attractive space that can be enjoyed by people of all ages.
Jeewanthika Fernando
01:27 02 Mar 25
Nice place to a foreigner to visit in South Korea. Best place to see in Korea. If you wear a hanbok, it is free entry.
Jung Kim
23:31 01 Mar 25
It was an incredible experience. Grand and beautiful settings with so many people wearing different colors and styles of hanbok made the place more special. I don’t know where else in the world that you can experience such a unique and beautifully rendered history.
Sheikh Ovais
13:48 01 Mar 25
Amazing place to be , a lovely insight into history
As Ra
11:24 01 Mar 25
Beautiful palace ground. Visited in feb and the weather was cold and windy too.Recommended to rent the costume and have your photo taken by a photographer
이무나이
01:35 01 Mar 25
Sheikh Ovais
13:44 28 Feb 25
Joel Bhagwat
13:29 28 Feb 25
marvinmartinus tjan
10:25 28 Feb 25
historycal place
子寧
09:43 28 Feb 25
Wakanda forever
최혜빈
07:39 28 Feb 25
Aurthur Huang
07:29 28 Feb 25
The hinterland is vast and suitable for walking, and the winter snow scenery adds to the beauty. The styles of the palaces are similar. There are regular guard handover performances at the entrance. You can enter for free if you wear traditional Korean clothes. Once you leave, you cannot enter again. The vaulting game statue at the side door is a bit of a mother soup.
阿果타이난현빈
01:19 28 Feb 25
Alex
18:56 27 Feb 25
Antoe
18:17 23 Feb 25
Went to Gyeongbokgung Palace on a rainy day, and honestly, it was amazing. The rain made everything quieter, the stone paths glistened, and the mist around the rooftops felt straight out of a movie. Walking through the courtyards with an umbrella, hearing the soft rain—it was peaceful and kind of magical.I missed the changing guard time.Will go there again next time!
kat
23:04 13 Feb 25
I highly recommend visiting the Gyeongbokgung Palace during your visit to Seoul. Exploring this beautiful palace complex took about 2-3 hours because it is so big and there is so much to discover. When we visited during the summer, it was super hot and we had to keep drinking water because of the amount of land we were covering while visiting the palace. You can buy a set of tickets to visit all of the palaces at the front gate. There is no need to book it in advance, unless you are looking for a specific tour.
Kirsty Fields
04:00 31 Jan 25
Make sure you arrive to view the Change of the Guard ceremony before you enter. This was the only Live cultural/interactive event by others at the Palace, and well worth watching.The Palace grounds are huge and beautiful. Unfortunately there are few buildings allowing you to enter (not surprisingly), but we were lucky to visit when the Geoncheonggung Residence was open for touring. It had lots of photography spots inside it. Being able to go inside the building was probably the highlight of our day.There's always a bit of waiting to poke your head into the best windows with good vantage spots or photo spots around the entire grounds.Advice - wear comfortable shoes, take an umbrella, wear a hat and take drinks. We were visiting in September and the humidity, sunshine and rain all in the one day meant we made our way around slowly. The positive to this meant that enabled us to read the building signage and explore garden spaces and smaller walkways off the busier path.I'd visit again. There was still a lot we didn't see, because we were hungry and left for lunch.
Hugo Pedro-Martins
04:56 27 Jan 25
I was expecting more of this complex to be honest. The entire Palace grounds seem to be court upon court opening up from the previous with a main building, whose architecture is not very impressive when you compare it with Japanese buildings of the same period.We were lucky to see the change of guard and that was very nice.
Sunny Ghosh
06:16 05 Jan 25
I visited on Christmas Day, and the entrance was free. The palace is huge with amazing architecture, and many visitors were dressed in traditional Korean attire. It’s easy to reach by public transport and close to the National Museum. Sadly, I missed any events and the night view, but it’s definitely a must-visit in Seoul!
Paolo Tarray
00:36 16 Nov 24
Felt like stepping back in time. You could spend hours here walking around, the palace and surrounding grounds/buildings are stunning. It was busy but not hectic so you are able to sit down and take it all in — a good first stop after a long haul flight. There are a few free guided tours in English during the day, but our timing didn’t line up.
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