Kyongbokkung Palace

Location : 1, Sejongno, Chongno-gu, Seoul

Kyongbokkung Palace (Historic Site No. 117) was built in 1395 by King T'aejo of the Choson Dynasty as the primary residence for the royal family. Among the five palaces in Seoul, it is considered the largest and most beautiful in architectural style. Elegant pavilions such as Kyonghoeru and Hyangwonjong, other refined wooden and stone structures such as Kunjongjon Hall, and the 10-story Stone Pagoda of Kyongch'onsa Temple display a unique charm and beauty of Korean architecture. The National Folk Museum, opened in 1975, is located in the compound, exhi- biting many artifacts that demonstrate traditional Korean ways of life.

Admission

(Unit = Won)

Division	Adults	Students(Age 19-24)	Remarks
Individuals	700	300	Group : over 30 people
Group rates	550	250	Under 18 : free

Transportation

	From	To	Duration	Remarks
City bus	City Hall On the opposite side of Sejong Cultural Center	Nat'l Museum " * *	10 mins. 5 mins. * *	No. 8 Nos. 32,6 * *

City express bus No. 543
Subway Kyongbokkung Line 3, then 5 min. walk

Intercity Bus termianl 82-2-436-2122

• Management Office, Tel: 82-2-732-1931
  
• Operating hours : 09:00 - 18:00 (17:00 in winter, closed on Tuesdays)
  
• Facilities : drinking fountains, benches

Cultural properties

• 10-story stone pagoda of Kyongch'onsa Temple (National Treasure No. 86),
• a pair of three-story stone pagodas of Kalhangsa Temple (National Treasure No. 99),
• Seven-story stone pagoda of Namgyewon Monastery (National Treasure No. 100),
• Memorial Stupa for the Most Reverend Chigwang of Popch'onsa Temple (National Treasure No. 101),
• Memorial Stupa for the Most Reverend Hongpop of Chongt'osa Temple (National Treasure No. 102),
• Stupa for Priest Yomgo from Hungpopsa Temple (National Treasure No. 104),
• Five-story stone pagoda from Hongje-dong (Treasure No. 166)

and many others

Nearby tourist spots
National Museum, Chogyesa Temple, Sejong Cultural Center, Kyonghuigung Park

Restaurants

Ch'ongsokkol 　　82-2-735-5892

Ch'angdokkung Palace & Piwon(Secret Garden)

Location : 1, Waryong-dong, Chongno-gu, Seoul

Ch'angdokkung Palace (Historic Site No. 122) was originally constructed in 1405 as a detached palace after Kyongbokkung Palace was constructed. However, since the time of the ninth monarch of the Choson Dynasty, King Songjong, it was used as the main palace. This palace was burned down during the Japanese invasion of 1592 and was rebuilt in 1611 during the reign of Kwanghaegun. With the man-made structures in harmony with the beautiful natural surroundings, it is one of Seoul's most frequently visited sites. Here one finds many important cultural assets such as Injongjon, Taejojon and Sonjongjon halls and Naksonjae Villa.

Piwon (Secret Garden) is located behind Ch'angdokkung Palace. During the Choson Dynasty, Piwon was used by the king and royal family as a place for relaxation. Piwon is a beautiful garden with many ponds, pavilions and wooded
areas containing thousand-year-old trees. Pavilions such as Puyongjong, Yonghwadang, Chuhapnu and Osumun Gate are scattered around the garden, boasting traditional Korean architectural beauty. Piwon is the garden most representative
of Korea's distinct natural beauty.

Open
09:15-17:15 (Mar. - Oct.), 09:15-16:15 (Nov. - Feb.)
* closed on Mondays

Facilities : drinking fountains, benches, shades, store

Guide Service

• Korean - every hour sharp (09:15 ~ 17:15/09:15 ~ 16:15)
• Japanese - 10:30, 12:30, 14:30
• English - 11:30, 13:30, 15:30

Admission

Adults - 2,200, Students/Children - 1,100

Cultural properties

• Injongjon Hall (National Treasure No. 225)
• Tonhwamun Gate (Treasure No. 383)
• Injongmun Gate (Treasure No. 813)
• Sonjongjon Hall (Treasure No. 814)
• Huijongdang Hall (Treasure No. 815)
• Taejojon Hall (Treasure No. 816)
• Kusonwonjon Hall (Treasure No. 817)
• Chinese juniper tree (Natural Monument No. 194)

Nearby tourist spots : Ch'anggyonggung Palace, Chongmyo, Chongmyo park, Transportation

	From	To	Duration	Remarks
City bus	On the opposite side of Sejong Cultural Center City Hall Cheil Bank HQ. Nat'l Museum	Ch'angdokkung Ch'angdokkung Ch'angdokkung Ch'angdokkung	10 mins. 15 mins. 10 mins. 10 mins.	Nos. 6, 8 Nos. 8, 20 No. 84 Nos. 205, 543, 2
City express	Cheil Bank HQ.	Ch'angdokkung	10 mins.	No. 16

Subway An-guk Line 3

Accommodation

Name	Tel.
Sangwon Tourist Hotel Hotel Samho Ramada Olympia Hotel Seoul Tourist Hotel Bukak Park Hotel Centural Hotel YMCA Tourist Hotel Eastern Tourist Hotel Sorak Youth Hostel Kumjwa Hotel Komodo Hotel Kogung(Old Palace) Hotel Samho Hotel (Co.) Paekch'on Hotel	82-2-765-0441 82-2-741-7080~5 82-2-287-6000 82-2-735-9001~5 82-2-395-7100-8 82-2-265-4121~9 82-2-734-6884 82-2-741-7811 82-2-763-9871 82-2-732-7245 82-2-734-1973 82-2-741-3831~5 82-2-741-7080 82-2-742-6671~2

Ch'anggyonggung Palace

Location : 2-1, Waryong-dong, Chongno-gu, Seoul

Ch'anggyonggung Palace (Historic Site No. 123) was renovated to its original state in 1987 with the intent to eliminate all vestiges of Japanese colonial rule. This palace was once demoted from Kung (palace) to Won (garden) and became a part of a zoo by the Japanese authorities. Honghwamun is the main gate and Myongjongjon (main hall,oldest of the Choson Dynasty ), Tongmyongjon Hall, Yanghwadang Hall and Ch'undangji Pond are within the compound. The palace is connected with Chongmyo (royal shrine) by a bridge.

Admission

(Unit = Won)

Division	Adults	Students	Remarks
Individuals	700	300	Age under 19 : free
Group Rates	550	250	*

Transportation

Type	From	Duration	Remarks
City bus	City Hall Kwanghwamun Seoul Station Tongnimmun	10 mins. 10 mins. 5 mins. 5 mins.	No. 85 Nos. 6, 8 No. 84 No. 205

City express No.205-1

Cultural properties

• Honghwamun Gate (Treasure No. 384)
• Myongjongjon Gate (Treasure No. 385)
• Myongjongjon Hall (National Treasure No. 226)

Nearby tourist spots

• Piwon, Ch'angdokkung Palace (Historic Site No. 122)
• Chongmyo Shrine, Taehangno (University Street)
• Tongdaemun (East Gate), Kyongbokkung Palace

Chongmyo Royal Shrine

Location : 1, Hunjong-dong, Chongno-gu, Seoul

Enshrined in Chongmyo are the spirit tablets of Choson period kings and queens and the tablets of those who were given the title of king or queen posthumously. Within the 190,000 square meter grounds are the Chongjon, or main shrine, the Yongnyongjon, or annex shrine, the Kongshindang (shrines for meritorious subjects), and such auxiliary buildings as the kitchen, the protocol officials' quarters, the com- pound for changing ceremonial attire, and the ceremonial kitchen. Chongmyo was built in 1395 by the founder of the Choson Dynasty, King T'aejo, soon after moving his capital to Hanyang (Seoul).

Upon its completion he enshrined the ancestral tablets which were brought from Kaesong. At present, 49 tablets are enshrined in 19 rooms of the Chongjon, 33 tablets in 16 rooms of the Yongnyongjon,and 83 tablets in the Kongshindang. Throughout the Choson period, memorial ceremonies were held five times a year for those enshrined in the Chongjon and twice a year for those enshrined in the Yong-nyongjon.
Though the practice was abolished in 1945, since 1969 a single large memorial service has been held annually. Since 1971,this annual service has been given on the first Sunday in May by the Association of the Chonju Yi Clan.
The Choson period kings were from this clan.
As the annual service at Chongmyo demonstrates the form of the Choson period royal memorial ceremony, it was designated as Intangible Cultural Property No. 56 in 1975. And also it was designated as a World Heritage by UNESCO on Dec.6, 1995 with Pulguksa Temple, Sokkuram Buddhist Grotto and Woodblocks of Tripitaka Koreana and Storage Halls in Haeinsa Temple.

• Open : 09:00 - 18:30 (17:30 in winter), Closed on Tuesdays
• Parking lot : one in front of the main gate (toll parking)
• Facilities : benches, public phones, shades, drinking fountain

Cultural properties

Chongjon (main hall, National Treasure No. 227) Yongnyongjon Hall (Treasure No. 821)

Nearby tourist spots
Ch'anggyonggung Palace (Historic Site No. 123), Taehangno (University Street), T'apkol Park, Unhyongung Palace (Historic Site No. 257)

Admission

(Unir = Won)

Division	Adults	Students/Military (Age 19-24)
Individuals	700	300
Group rates	550	250

* Under aged 18: free

Transportation

• City bus Nos. 5-1, 23, 25, 30, 30-1, 32, 131,134, 154, 302
• Subway Chongno 3-ga Line 1, then 5 min.walk

Tel: 82-2-765-0195

Toksugung Palace

Location : 5-1, Chong-dong, Chung-gu, Seoul

　　This palace was originally built as a villa for Prince Wolsan-daegun, an elder brother of King Songjong. A century later, as all the royal palaces in Seoul had been burned during the Japanese invasion of 1592, King Sonjo took up a temporary residence here when he returned to Seoul in 1593.
The palace became known as the "West Palace." The next ruler, Kwanghaegun, held his coronation here in 1608 and renamed this temporary palace "Kyong-un-gung" in 1611.

He then moved to the rebuilt Ch'angdok-kung Palace in 1615, leaving his step-mother Queen Inmok-taebi here. When Kwanghaegun was deposed by King Injo in 1623 , the new king held his coronation in this palace. However, he then moved to the Ch'angdokkung Palace and the palace remained a subsidiary for 270 years. In 1897, after his 13-month sojourn in the Russian Legation, King Kojong returned here and used this palace as his primary palace. In July, 1907,after he was forced by the Japanese to abdicate to his son, King Sunjong,the palace was given its present name of Toksugung or "The Palace of Virtuous Long Life", in honor of the retired king. The king continued to live here after the new king had moved the seat of government to Ch'angdokkung.

Ex-King Kojong died in Hamnyongjon Hall of Toksugung on January 22, 1919, touching off the historic nationwide anti-Japanese Independence Movement of March 1, 1919.
Inside the entrance gate (Taehanmun Gate), Chunghwajon Hall, Chukchodang Hall, Sogodang Hall, and Hamnyongjon Hall greet the visitor. Within the compound stand the Hungch'onsa Bell and a statue of King Sejong.
Sokchojon Hall is an example of old western-style architecture, and it is now used as the Court Relics Museum.

Operating hours : 09:00-18:00, 09:00-16:30 in winter (closed on Mondays)

Cultural properties

Taehanmun Gate, Chunghwajon Hall, Sokchojon Hall,
Hungch'onsa Bell and over 100 other items

Nearby tourist spots

• Chongdong Church (0.1 km, Historic Site No. 256)
• King Kojong Monument (0.4 km, Historic Site No. 171)
• Former Russian legation (0.2 km, Historic Site No. 253)
• Sejong Cultural Center (1 km)
• National Museum (1.3 km)
• Kyongbokkung Palace (1.5 km)

Admission

(Unit=Won)

Division	Adults	Students (Age 19-24)	Remark
Individuals	700	300	Group : over 30 people
Group rates	550	250	Age under 19 : free

Transportation

10 minute walk from City Hall Subway Station on Subway Line 1 or 2

Restaurants

• Songjuk Chukchip　　　　　　　　　82-2-265-5129
• Yangp'yong Sutpul Twaeji Kalbi　　82-2-279-1777, 3261
• Hangukchip　　　　　　　　　　　　82-2-778-6259
• Somunhoegwan　　　　　　　　　　　82-2-755-0897, 4645
• Yukmijip　　　　　　　　　　　　　82-2-773-4402
• Komsotchip　　　　　　　　　　　　82-2-756-4094
• Ojangdong Hungnamjip　　　　　　　82-2-266-0735
• Namp'o Myonok　　　　　　　　　 　82-2-777-2269
• Komgukshijip 　　　　　　　　　 　82-2-756-3249, 3250

Exhibition Hall of Court Relics, Tel: 02-752-0735