Discover the only Unesco World Heritage palace in South Korea

AMONG SOUTH KOREA’S many attractions are its handful of magnificent palaces, built during the country’s historic Joseon Dynasty (1392 to 1910).

Located in the South Korean capital of Seoul, the four palaces – Gyeongbokgung Palace, Changdeokgung Palace, Changgyeonggung Palace and Deoksugung Palace – continually draw in tourists.

At these locations, visitors can easily glimpse the beauty and culture that lasted over 500 years during Korea’s historic Joseon Dynasty.

Why are there so many palaces?

They were built for a variety of reasons such as in the event if one palace was under repairs or if there was a political change. It would allow the royal family to move to another equally comfortable location.

The main palace, known as the beopgung (legal palace), is Gyeongbokgung Palace.

Two girls dressed in traditional Korean wear (hanbok) at the Gyeongbokgung Palace grounds. Source: Shutterstock.

The first among the Joseon palaces, it was originally constructed in 1395 but was twice destroyed in two separate occasions – during the Imjin War and the Japanese occupation.

Gyeongbokgung Palace remained in a state of disrepair and was abandoned for approximately 270 years.

In 1990, efforts to fully restore the palace to its former glory was launched. A complete restoration was finally completed in 2010 and today, Gyeongbokgung Palace remains the largest and most stunning of the lot.

The secondary palaces – Changdeokgung Palace, Changgyeonggung Palace and Deoksugung Palace – are referred to as yigung. They’re smaller than Gyeongbokgung Palace but they function just the same.

“Each palace is divided into an inner area, where the king and royal family lived, and the outer area, where royal rulings were conducted with the royal officials and where ceremonies and events were held. The outer area contained the palace’s main building, Jeongjeon Hall, the king’s private office, Pyeonjeon Hall, and the buildings where the scholars worked,” Korea Tourism Organization said.

Changdeokgung, an ancient palace that breathes the history of the Joseon Dynasty. Source: Shutterstock.

“In addition, most palaces had a rear garden with lotus ponds and pavilions where the king and royal family could relax.”

Like most well-preserved tourist attractions, visitation hours are restricted to its operating hours.

Each palace allows travelers to marvel at its beauty from as early as 9am until late evening, depending on the season. Most palaces will close a little earlier during the winter months (November to January).

But for a couple of weeks starting later this month, Changdeokgung Palace will be holding its annual moonlight tour, allowing visitors to stroll around the beautifully lit Joseon-era palace after hours.

Changdeokgung Palace at night. Source: Shutterstock.

The second palace to be constructed after Gyeongbokgung Palace, Changdeokgung Palace is known as the “Palace of Harmony and Nature” as it strikes a breathtaking harmony with its natural surroundings.

Built in 1405 by King Taejong, Changdeokgung Palace was used as the primary palace for 270 years when Gyeongbokgung Palace was destroyed, making it one of the Joseon Dynasty’s most important royal palaces.

It boasts impressive aesthetic qualities and its most outstanding charm is the use of nature throughout the palace to strike a balance between the buildings and extensive gardens.

In fact, the lush gardens at Changdeokgung Palace, with shrubs bursting with gorgeous colorful blooms and leafy trees providing cooling shade, were more popular than the ones at Gyeongbokgyung Palace.

The secret garden at Changdeokgung Palace is a flurry of yellow, red, and gold in autumn. Source: Shutterstock.

Unlike the perfect symmetry of Gyeongbokgung Palace, the layout of Changdeokgung Palace was constructed to be in harmony with Eungbongsan Mountain in the background.

It follows the contours of the natural curves of the terrain and is comprised of sharp yet elegant curves.

On top of offering a glimpse into the pain and suffering of the Joseon royal family, Changdeokgung Palace has also become an invaluable historical site in the study of the history and culture of the Joseon Dynasty.

Because its original form is the most well-preserved of the four palaces in Seoul, it was designated a Unesco World Heritage in 1997, the only Joseon-era palace to have been inscribed to the list.

The beautifully lit Joseon-era Changdeokgung Palace after hours. Source: Shutterstock.

Spearheaded by South Korea’s Cultural Heritage Administration, the nighttime tourism program at Changdeokgung Palace will commence on Aug 23, 2018.

Curious foreign travelers will be able to visit the palace from 8pm to 10pm from Aug 23, 2018, till Sept 15, 2018. From Sept 20, 2018, till Oct 28, 2018, Changdeokgung Palace will be open for foreign tourists twice a day from 7pm to 9pm and 10pm to 12am.

The moonlight tour includes commentaries by tour guides (in Korean, English, Chinese, and Japanese) on the history of the Joseon era, photo opportunities with palace guards in traditional garments, and traditional performances.

All visitors must pre-book their tickets as only 100 visitors are allowed per tour. Priced at KRW30,000 (US$26.80) per person, the tickets will be online from Aug 2, 2018.

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Source: travelwireasia.com