Seoul's Past & Present: Gyeongbok Palace

Having a background in every Country's culture is very important, knowing it will make you understand, respect , appreciate and realize things that will make it a more meaningful travel experience.

View from Parking Lot

September 2010, I felt like the first man to land on the moon,,, with this version my feet stepping on the land of the morning calm for the very first time...After a long dream ^^*

First on our list was their famous Palace, Gyeongbok Palace ( ) 

It was built during 1395 during Jeoson Dynasty. Gyeongbok Gung means " Palace Greatly Blessed by Heaven". It is located in the heart of Seoul.

One cool thing you'll be feeling while standing inside the palace is that as if you are in a time machine. Experiencing both the Past and Present times of Korea. Inside you'll feel so nostalgic but outside is the busy business street of modern Seoul.  As if you are filming the Roof Top Prince and  Queen Inhyu's man drama. It is my favorite among their many Palaces.

I've been here for three times already and every visit still makes me feel excited and find it more interesting. Visiting it on different seasons is highly recommended. As if you are looking the same place on a different character. Autumn is still the best season to see the Palace's colorful side.

Before you explore the beauty of the Palace, to make the course complete and to really feel the Korean tradition, the Changing of the Guards is a  must see ceremony. It is one of their highlights. The Palace Guard in their colorful costumes and weapons will march in the Main Entrance Courtyard with the accompaniment of drums and a narrator on the background in different languages. It occurs three times a day, 10:00am, 13:00 & 15:00pm.

Here are some photos during the ceremony:

Parade at Palace grounds

Guards playing musical instruments

Palace Royal Guards

As you walk into the palace, you'll be wondering why the path walks are not even, which may cause you to trip if you walk in a hurry. According to the tourist guide it represents the status of the people during the Joseon Era. The queen & king walks in the higher path while the middle & lower class walks on the side paths which is lower than the middle paths. It also for the people to walk slowly like queens & kings. By the way talking loud and running inside the palace is prohibited.

Uneven Huge Stone Pavement

Exploring along you will see a  lot of picture perfect landscapes and historical structures. All of their structures were very detailed.

Below is Gyeonghoeru Pavilion it is where the King threw feast for his officials.

Among the many structures my favorite spot is the Hyangwonjeong Pavilion, which is located at the back of the Palace. It is a Pavilion with a wooden bridge surrounded by pond. During summer it is framed with Green Trees under blue furry clouds but when autumn comes, it shows the most fantastic view, surrounded by beautiful colored Trees. It looks unreal but it's so real.

Palace Landscape

Detailed Roof Eaves and Terrace Balusters

Gyeonghoeru Pavilion

Hyangwonjeong's Summer Season

Hyangwonjeong's Autumn Season

Aside from that, if you have some spare time you can also try the Royal Costumes Experience. You can take a souvenir photo wearing their traditional hanboks. But you need to wait for the long queues. You can do online reservations prior to your visit to save some time.

It is a perfect family destination for a picture perfect travel experience.

If you are also planning to visit Jongmyo Shrine, Changdeokgung , Deoksugung Palace, it is advisable to buy the combination tickets including Gyeongbok, where in you can save more money. It will only cost you 10,000 KRW for all the entrance.

If you want to find more about its history, you can join the groups with free tourist guide available in the palace but on certain timings. You can check it at the ticket counters. Korean, English, Japanese and Mandarin Languages are available.

Location: Jongno - Gu Seoul, South Korea

How To Get There:

Subway:
Line 3 - Gyeongbokgung Station - Exit 5
Line 5 - Gwanghwamun Station - Exit 2

Time:
09:00 am - 18:00pm (17:00pm Last Admission)

Entrance:

Adults - 3,000 KRW
Children (7-18 yrs. old) - 1,500 KRW

Closed on TUESDAYS

For more information:

Royal Palace_English
Visit Korea_Gyeongbok Palace