Korean Culture & History ~ Gyeongbokgung Palace (경복궁)

Gyeongbokgung Palace (경복궁)

The grandest of all Seoul palaces, Gyeongbokgung is the most visited palace in Seoul. It is also known as the northern palace as it is furthest north compared to the neighbouring palaces. At the north entrance of the palace you can also see the Blue House, or Cheong Wa Dae (청와대). I've seen it covered in snow, frozen, with autumn leaves, at night (see my post here), and still I'm not bored of it. 

Address: 22, Sajik-ro 9-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
서울특별시 종로구 사직로9길 22 (필운동)
Tel no: +82-2-3700-3904
Admission fees: 

Adults (ages 19-64): 3,000 won / Group (over 10): 2,400 won
Children (ages 7-18): 1,500 won / Group (over 10): 1,200 won
Opening hours: 

January-February, November-December: 09:00-17:00
March-May, September-October: 09:00-18:00
June-Auguest: 09:00-18:30
* Last admission: 1 hr before closing.

Gyeonghoeru (경회루 / 慶會樓)

Frozen lake in winter, February 2013

Palace walls

Multi-coloured wooden doors

Snow-capped roofs

Hyangwonjeong (향원정 / 香遠亭) in different seasons

Traditional drum used during the royal changing of the guards ceremony

Royal guard in front of gwanghwamun (광화문 / 光化門)

Pumgyeseok (품계석 / 品階石) that indicates where the officials should stand, according to their ranks

Heungnyemun 흥례문 - the second inner gate to the palace

Royal changing of guards ceremony at Heungnyemun

Drummers of the procession

With my colleagues in winter 2008

There's free hanbok wearing within the palace grounds. You only have 5 minutes to take photos around the building.

Chimney of Jagyeongjeon 자경전 - There are 4 hexagonal chimneys decorated with ten signs of longevity to wish for a long life for the late queen, while the west walls of the Jagyeongjeon compound are adorned with floral designs.

Unpainted building on the east of the palace compounds

With more than 300 buildings within the compound, plus the National Palace Museum on the left, and National Folk Museum on the right, you can hardly finish exploring the entire palace compound within a day. Somehow I feel that there's still places in the palace that I've missed out previously. Another reason for me to visit it again!