Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul, South Korea
1. Opening Hours
Gyeongbokgung Palace is closed every Tuesday for maintenance and preservation work. If a public holiday falls on a Tuesday, the palace will also be closed the following day. The visiting hours vary by season:
| January, February | March, April, May | June, July, Augus | September, Octobe | November, December |
| 09:00 – 17:00 | 09:00 – 18:00 | 09:00 – 18:30 | 09:00 – 18:00 | 09:00 – 17:00 |
Visitors can enter the palace up to one hour before closing time.
2. Admission Fees
| Adults (ages 25-64) | 3,000 KRW | Disabled persons, national merit awardees | Free |
| Ages 24 and under | Free | Visitors wearing traditional Korean attire (hanbok) | Free |
| Ages 65 and over | Free | Foreigners (ages 19-64) | 3,000 KRW |
Free admission requires relevant identification (ID, passport).
3. Basic Information
Location: 161, Sajik-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul (Sejong-ro)
Historic Site: No. 117 (Palace)
Area: 432,703 m²
Established: November 1395
Gates: Gwanghwamun (south), Geonchunmun (east), Yeongchumun (west), Sinmumun (north), as well as Gyeomumun and Gwangmumun
4. About Gyeongbokgung Palace
Gyeongbokgung Palace is a prominent palace of the Joseon Dynasty, built by King Taejo when he founded Joseon and relocated the capital to Hanyang (modern-day Seoul). The name Gyeongbokgung, recommended by the scholar Jeong Do-jeon, means “Palace of Great Blessing.”
Planned by the new scholar-official class, the palace reflects Confucian ideals, favoring simplicity and austerity over opulence. Initially, it was relatively small, with about 390 rooms and no walls separating buildings.
Gyeongbokgung served as the main royal palace where kings conducted daily affairs during the early Joseon period. It was destroyed during the Japanese invasions of Korea (1592-1598) but was reconstructed 200 years later by Heungseon Daewongun. The rebuilt palace differs somewhat from its original design, with the number of rooms expanding to 7,225.
In modern times, Gyeongbokgung is located in Jongno-gu, Seoul. The nearest subway station is Gyeongbokgung Station, named after the palace. Exiting through gate 5 leads directly to the main entrance, Gwanghwamun. The area surrounding the palace includes notable sites such as Gwanghwamun Square, the Blue House (Cheong Wa Dae), the Constitutional Court, government buildings, and the U.S. Embassy.
Although Gyeongbokgung is highly symbolic and well-known, it is historically less significant in terms of longevity compared to Changdeokgung and Changgyeonggung, as it was reconstructed later in history.
5. Link
Gyeongbokgung Palace Nighttime Opening in the First Half of 2024