Deoksugung Palace

■ Introduction to the Deoksugung Palace

Deoksugung Palace is the Imperial Palace of the Daehan Empire which is an old name for South Korea. Deoksugung Palace can be divided into three areas. 1) The Outer Palace(the Center of Politics during the Daehan Empire): After Declaring the Daehan Empire, King Gojong(Name) started to refurbish the palace. The dragon motif is engraved on the square stones of the basal stairs on the main Junghwajeon Hall, and gold-painted window frames symbolized the dignity of the new empire. Junghwajeon Hall originally consisted of a two-tiered roof at the time of its construction in 1902, but it was reduced to a single-tiered roof when it was rebuilt in 1906. Surrounding the south of Junghwajeon Hall were small wings, but these and the halls were demolished after the Japanese colonial era and replaced by a garden which can still be seen today. 2) The Inner Palace(the Daily Life of Emperor Gojong): The Inner Palace of Deoksugung is located in the northeast of Deoksugung Palace with JAmnyeongjeon Hall at the center. Hamnyeongjeon Hall at the Center. Hamnyeongjeon Hall was used as the king's bedroom as well as a side room of a palace. It is also the place where King Gojong died. Unlike other palaces, Deoksugung Palace did not include the Queen's bed-chamber because King Gojong did not remarry after the death of Empress Myongseong. Instead, Gyeonghyojeon Hall was built and the Queen's mortuary tablet was enshrined in it. However, Gyeonghyojeon Hall was burned down by a big fire in 1904, and was replaced by Deokhongjeon, and was replaced by Deokhongjeon Hall, which was used to entertain foreign envoys. Its exterior took the form of a traditional hanok structure but the interior was decorated in the Western-style. Many buildings in the Inner Palace of Deokhongjeonwere quickly demolished and replaced with ponds and trails after the death of King Gojong in 1919. 3) Western Architecture in the Imperial Palace(the Scene of Modernization): After opening Joseon's ports to other nationsm King Gojong proclaimed Deoksugung Palace as the Imperial palace, pushed ahead with a program of modernization and reform, and bulit many Western-style buildings, of which only Seokjojeon Hall, Jungmyeongjeon Hall and Jeonggwanheon remain today. 

■ Information on Palace

Location: 99 Sejong-daero, Jung-gu, Seoul

Tel: 02-771-9952

Direction: 1) Subway City Hall Station, Exit No.2, Line No.1(Blue Line)

              2) Subway City Hall Station, Exit No.12, Line No.2(Green Line)

Hours : 09:00~21:00(Last entry at 20:00) / Closed: Mondays

Admission : Adults(KRW 1,000), Students(age 7-18)(KRW 500), Children and Senior Citizen : Free

Free guided tour program : English(Tues-Sun) 10:45, 13:30

Audio Tour Device Rental fee (KRW 3,000)

Program brochures (KRW 500)

the place where the king worked

 

■ Information about exchange rates

USD 1 = KRW 1274.50 (Base Date : 2022.05.12)

ex) Admisssion : Adults(KRW 1,000 = USD 0.78)