Seoul’s 5 Royal Palaces: Top Cultural Sites You Can’t Miss
Visiting Seoul’s Royal Palaces is a must when traveling to South Korea’s largest city. There are a total of five royal palaces in Seoul scattered throughout the city. Gyeongbokgung Palace is the grandest and most visited, but they are all unique and worth visiting.
Perfect for first-time visitors to Seoul and anyone who loves culture and history, exploring Seoul’s royal palaces is my top recommendation and one of the best things to do in Seoul.
** This post contains affiliate links. If you click on one of the links or widgets throughout the page, whether it be Viator, Booking.com, Agoda, or any other affiliate, I might receive commission at no extra cost to you. For more information, you can visit my affiliate link page here. Thanks for the support!
Seoul’s five Royal Palaces include: Changdeokgung, Changgyeonggung, Deoksugung, Gyeongbokgung, and Gyeonghuigung.
These royal palaces are from the Joseon Dynasty. The Joseon Dynasty started in 1392 until 1897.
Scattered across the city, the royal palaces offer a mix of grand throne halls, peaceful gardens, and traditional Korean architecture.
Some palaces are more grand then others, but I do recommend adding all five to your Seoul travel itinerary. In case you don’t have time to fit them all in, I recommend starting with Gyeongbokgung Palace, it is the grandest of them all.
It took me three visits to Seoul to finally see all five of the palaces. I made this post to provide you with information on each palace to assist with planning and just to provide basic information on each site.
Changdeokgung Palace
Changdeokgung Palace is one of the mots beautiful and historically significant of the royal palaces in Seoul. It was first constructed in 1405, the fifth year of the 3rd King Taejong’s reign.
Unfortunately, the palace was completely destroyed by fire in the late 1500’s during the Japanese invasion. It was restored in 1610.
Changdeokgung Palace was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997. This palace is known for its harmonious design that blends naturally with the landscape.
Besides Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung Palace is my favorite palace in Seoul and it’s easily within walking distance from Gyeongbokgung.
Admission
Adults: ￦ 3,000
Children (18 and under): Free
*Admission and Hours are from the Royal Palaces and Tombs Center Website.
Hours
❌ Closed Mondays
February-May/September-October: 9:00 – 18:00 (Last Admission is 17:00)
June-August: 9:00 – 18:30 (Last Admission 17:30)
November-January: 9:00-17:30 (Last Admission 16:30)
Changgyeonggung Palace
Changgyeonggung is the neighboring palace from Changdeokgung Palace and is often times overlooked. But I recommend visiting Changgyeonggung Palace especially if you are already at Changdeokgung Palace.
Built by King Seongjong in 1483, Changgyeonggung Palace was originally built as a residence for the queens and other royal members during the Joseon Dynasty.
The palace you see today features elegant halls, beautiful walking paths, and gardens.
Admission
Adults: ￦ 1,000
Children (18 and under): Free
*Admission and Hours are from the Royal Palaces and Tombs Center Website.
Hours
❌ Closed Mondays
January through December: 9:00 – 21:00 (Last Admission 20:00)
Deoksugung Palace
Deoksugung Palace stands out as one of the more unique palaces because of its lend of traditional Korean architecture and Western-style buildings within the palace grounds.
Deoksugung Palace was a temporary palace and like all the other palaces, it was destroyed during the Japanese invasion. Deoksugung Palace was also under Japanese rule for a 35 year period between 1910 and 1945.
Deoksugung Palace is a picturesque palace known for its romantic walking paths, elegant Junghwajeon Hall, and the historic Seokjojeon.
Admission
Adult: ￦ 3,000
Children (18 and under): Free
*Admission and Hours are from the Royal Palaces and Tombs Center Website.
Hours
❌ Closed Mondays
9:00 am – 21:00 (Last Admission 20:00)
Gyeongbokgung Palace
Gyeongbokgung Palace is the largest and most iconic of Seoul’s royal palaces.
Built in 1395 during the Joseon Dynasty, Gyeongbokgung Palace showcases massive gates, expansive courtyards, and a maze of structures against the backdrop of Bugaksan Mountain.
During the Japanese invasion, Gyeongbokgung Palace was entirely destroyed and rebuilt in 1867.
When Gyeongbokgung Palace was rebuilt, around 500 buildings were constructed here making it a small city.
When visiting Gyeongbokgung Palace today, you can witness the changing of the guards which I find a tad cheesy but fun. Other highlights include the Geunjeongjeon, Gyeonghoeru Pavilion, and the National Folk Museum.
Admission
Adult: ￦ 3,000
Children (18 and under): Free
Free if wearing a Hanbok
Hours
❌ Closed Tuesdays
January-February: 9:00 – 17:00 (Last Admission is 16:00)
March-May: 9:00 – 18:00 (Last Admission 17:00)
June-August: 9:00-18:30 (Last Admission 17:30)
September-October: 9:00-18:00 (Last Admission 17:00)
November-December: 9:00-17:00 (Last Admission 16:00)
Gyeonghuigung Palace
Gyeonghuigung Palace is the smallest and by far least crowded of the five royal palaces in Seoul.
Gyeonghuigung Palace was used as a secondary palace during the Joseon Dynasty. At one point, Gyeonghuigung Palace had over 100 halls.
Some of the halls and buildings were rebuilt in 1985.
I found Gyeonghuigung Palace to be one of the more peaceful palaces and definitely a hidden gem in Seoul.
Admission
Free
Hours
❌ Closed Mondays
9:00-18:00 (Last Admission 17:30)
Conclusion
When visiting Seoul, one of my main recommendations is paying a visit to the royal palaces. From the grand scale of Gyeongbokgung Palace to the peaceful gardens of Changdeokgung, each palace is unique and special.
Consistently ranked as the top attractions in Seoul, these royal palaces are easy to visit, beautifully preserved, and perfect for first-time visitors.
I’d say, no trip to Seoul is complete without visiting these iconic palaces.
Enjoying my photos and want to see more? Check out my Picfair Store. 📸
Plan Your Trip: 🗺️✈️🇰🇷
Booking Accommodations ⛺️🛖
For booking recommendations on the best deals and locations, check out Agoda or Booking.com
Activities and Tours 🏖️🚁
Find fun activities and things to do through Tripadvisor. If you are looking for tours and day trips, Viator and Get Your Guide have a lot of great options.
In need of a car rental? 🚗🚘
I recommend checking with Rental Cars.
You May Also Like
Tourist Attractions in Kawasaki – Temples and Tiny Escalators
I Moved to Japan!
