Visiting Gyeongbokgung Palace: Everything You Need To Know
Gyeongbokgung Palace once served as the principal palace of the Joseon Dynasty and today represents one of the best places to visit in Seoul.
There are 5 official Royal Palaces in Seoul, with Gyeongbokgung being the grandest and most striking.
In this article, we outline everything you need to know about visiting Gyeongbokgung Palace.
We highlight how to get to the palace, how long you need to spend there and plenty of helpful information for visiting Gyeongbokgung Palace.
So, let’s dive into - Visiting Gyeongbokgung Palace: Everything You Need To Know
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Seoul Travel Tip: consider buying a Discover Seoul Travel Pass in order to gain free and discounted access to over 65 attractions across South Korea’s amazing capital city!
What is Gyeongbokgung Palace?
Gyeongbokgung Palace was originally built in 1395 and served as the main palace for King Taejo, the founder of the Joseon Dynasty, until 1592 when it was tragically burnt to the ground thanks to the Japanese invasion.
One of the things you should know before visiting South Korea is that Seoul features an impressive 5 royal palaces. Still, Gyeongbokgung is commonly referred to as the principal palace of the Joseon Dynasty.
Gyeongbokgung can be translated as meaning “brilliance and fortune” and reflects the intentions and wishes of why King Taejo ordered the palace’s creation - so the dynasty could thrive and prosper.
After the 1592 fires, the palace lay in ruins for over 270 years until 1867 when a considerable restoration project began. Unfortunately, the Japanese occupation (1910-1945) caused yet more significant damage to the palace, where it is estimated that up to 90% of the restored buildings were destroyed.
A second huge restoration project commenced in 1990 which has led to the palace complex that you can visit today.
You find these trees dotted around everywhere inside Gyeongbokgung Palace
Visiting Seoul soon? Then you’ll probably need to know how to buy a Korean SIM card at the airport - it’s pretty straightforward when you follow our step-by-step guide!
Useful information about Gyeongbokgung Palace
Address: Gyeongbokgung Palace, 161, Sajik-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Website: www.royalpalace.go.kr
Phone number: +82-2-3700-3900-1
Changing of the guard ceremony: 10:00 and 14:00 in the square inside Gwanghwamun Gate
Gate guard duty performance: 11:00 and 13:00 directly outside the Gwanghwamun Gate
Where is Gyeongbokgung Palace?
Gyeongbokgung Palace is located at the Southern end of the Jongno-gu district in Seoul. It is only 1km away from the equally impressive Changdeokgung Palace. With both sites so closeby, it is no wonder that the Jongno district makes it into our list of the best places to stay in Seoul.
Gyeongbokgung Palace is found within an impressive 107-acre complex, making the entire site double the size of neighbouring Changdeokgung Palace.
Do you want the chance to wear traditional Korean dress when you visit Gyeongbokgung Palace? You’re in luck with this Gyeongbokgung Palace Hanbok Rental Experience
How to get to Gyeongbokgung Palace?
There are 3 main ways in which you can get to Gyeongbokgung Palace:
Subway - you can get subway line 3 (Exit 5) and get off at the Gyeongbokgung Station or subway line 5 (Exit 2) for the Gwanghwamun Station. The palace is just a short walk from either of these stations.
Bus - several bus routes can get you to Gyeongbokgung Palace from all around Seoul. Each of the routes stop at the Gyeongbokgung Palace bus stop. All optional bus routes: 0212, 1020, 1711, 7016, 7022, 1020, 109, 171, 272,602, 602-1 (Airport Bus), 606, 7025, 708, 9708.
Walking - if you are staying North of the Hangang River in Seoul, you will probably be able to walk to Gyeongbokgung Palace. Obviously, depending on where you are staying, depending on how long the walk is. For example, we stayed in Myeongdong, and the walk took us around 30 minutes.
What are the Gyeongbokgung Palace opening times?
The opening hours for Gyeongbokgung Palace vary throughout the year so here’s a quick rundown:
Mar - May and Sep - Oct - 09:00-18:00 (Last admission 17:00)
Jun - Aug - 09:00-18:30 (Last admission 17:30)
Nov - Feb - 09:00-17:00 (Last admission 16:00)
Something to be aware of: Gyeongbokgung Palace is closed on Tuesdays
Gyeongbokgung Palace Entrance Fee: How much does it cost to visit Gyeongbokgung Palace?
The current Gyeongbokgung Palace Entrance Fee for an adult is 3000KRW (£1.80/$2.20), but there are a couple of different admission fees available for the Palace, with all options available to purchase from the Ticket office found inside the square at Gwanghwamun Gate.
The Palace Admission Fees for non-Koreans:
Adults (Ages 19-64) 3000 KRW / Junior (Ages 7-18) 1500 KRW / Group admission (10+ people) 2400 KRW
*Children (6 and under) and Seniors (65 and over) can visit for free
**You can also visit Gyeongbokgung Palace for free if you buy a discounted Discover Seoul pass. Owning one of these handy passes means you can create your own Discover Seoul Pass itinerary to visit as many of Seoul’s major sites in one trip.
The Discover Seoul Pass grants you access to all the major attractions in Seoul - it even features entrance to sites outside of the capital such as Suwon Ipark Museum of Art, one of the best things to do in Suwon, Seoul’s neighbouring city.
Money saving tip: If you are interested in seeing any of the other Royal Palaces within Seoul (Changdeokgung Palace, Changgyeonggung Palace, Deoksugung Palace and Gyeonghuigung Palace) then you can purchase a Royal Palace Pass for 10000 KRW that gives you access to all of them with the same ticket
Can you do a guided tour of Gyeongbokgung Palace?
Thankfully, there are several guided tours of Gyeongbokgung Palace that are scheduled throughout the day and in various languages. Here is a quick breakdown of the guided tour schedule:
English - 11:00, 13:30, 15:30
Chinese - 10:30, 15:00
Japanese - 10:00, 14:30
Spanish - 10:30, 15:00 (*Friday and Saturdays only)
All of the guided tours start from in front of the Gyeongbokgung Information Office which you will find near the Heungnyemun Gate. The full tour takes 1-1.5 hours to complete as the palace complex is fairly extensive.
More options for exploring Gyeongbokgung Palace
- Seoul City Sightseeing Tour (Including Gyeongbokgung Palace, N Seoul Tower, and Namsangol Hanok Village) with a guide
- Full Day Small-Group Royal Palace and Seoul City Tour with a guide and lunch
- Korean Palace and Market Tour in Seoul (Including Insadong and Gyeongbokgung Palace)
- Seoul City Tour (Half Day) with a professional guide
How long do you need to spend at Gyeongbokgung Palace?
If you plan on doing the free guided tour option of Gyeongbokgung Palace, then you will need around 1.5 hours for the tour and an additional 1 hour to explore independently (2.5 hours total).
If you want to simply explore the Gyeongbokgung Palace grounds on your own without the help of a guide, then you can probably see the entire complex in about 1.5 hours.
Want another great cultural experience in Seoul? Try this Street food tour where you eat and drink through the alleys of Seoul
Best time to visit Gyeongbokgung Palace
We visited Gyeongbokgung Palace at the beginning of October. Unfortunately, for us, it was the Korean National Holiday of Hangeul Day, where the country celebrates the commemoration of the national alphabet. For this reason, it was incredibly crowded, but this was just bad planning on our behalf because any other day in October would have been fine.
We have also seen a few photos of Gyeongbokgung Palace in the winter and it looks truly stunning. So we’d recommend visiting in January or February for the best chance to see the palace draped in snow or visiting in mid-October - mid-November to see all the unique Autumn colours. With both of these times, you are likely to miss the big crowds that you will find during the summer months.
Best things to see in Gyeongbokgung Palace
Hyangwonjeong Pavilion
Hyangwonjeong Pavilion
Unfortunately the little footbridge to Hyangwonji Pavilion is inaccessible to guests - only opening on special occasions. There is plenty of seating available though to sit and view the pavilion from afar.
Found in the centre of Hyangwonji Pond at the back of the Gyeongbokgung Palace grounds, Hyangwonjeong Pavilion is a hexagonal, two-storey pavilion that once served as the area for leisure and relaxation for the royal members of the Joseon Dynasty.
When we visited, there was an interesting selection of plastic flowers dotted all around the pavilion. While they did look good in some photos, it did take away from the natural beauty of the island the Pavilion sits on. Thankfully, it was only a temporary exhibition for a Korean National holiday, so they shouldn’t be there when you visit.
Geunjeongjeon Hall
Geunjeongjeon Hall
The main building of the Gyeongbokgung Palace, the Geunjeongjeon Hall, served as the site for various state events during the Joseon Dynasty, including coronation ceremonies and cabinet meetings.
It is one of the few buildings in Gyeongbokgung that survived the Japanese occupation between 1910-1945. It is believed to have been built in 1867 during the first large-scale restoration project.
Gyeonghoeru Pavilion
Gyeonghoeru Pavilion
Another impressive piece of architecture found on a pond inside Gyeongbokgung Palace, the Gyeonghoeru Pavilion is a two-storey wooden structure that once served as the site of royal banquets and receiving foreign visitors (a function that it still serves to this day).
National Folk Museum of Korea
Found on the very Eastern flank of the Gyeongbokgung Palace grounds, the National Folk Museum of Korea is home to several exhibits featuring historical objects, illustrating the national life of Korea through the ages.
Entrance to the museum is free, as with many of the major museums within Seoul.
National Folk Museum of Korea opening times:
Mar - Oct - 09:00 - 18:00 (Last admission 17:00)
Nov - Feb - 09:00 - 17:00 (Last admission 16:00)
There we have it, folks, our conclusive round-up of everything you need to know about visiting Gyeongbokgung Palace - it once served as the principal palace of the Joseon Dynasty and today represents one of the finest examples of Korean architecture and cultural resilience.
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