Gyeongbokgung

The principal royal palace of the Joseon Dynasty, founded in 1395; Seoul's representative palace and a national symbolic cultural heritage.

Gyeongbokgung

Overview

Gyeongbokgung (景福宮; Korean: 경복궁) is the principal palace (正宮) and legal palace (法宮) of the Joseon Dynasty. It was founded in 1395 (the 4th year of King Taejo) along with the relocation of the capital to Hanyang. The name 'Gyeongbok (景福)' comes from the line '君子萬年 介爾景福' in the Classic of Poetry (詩經), meaning 'may you enjoy great blessings.' It is located at 161 Sajik-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, and is considered the foremost of the five major Joseon palaces (Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Changgyeonggung, Deoksugung, and Gyeonghuigung), a symbolic space of the dynasty.

Main Details

Establishment and History

Gyeongbokgung was founded in 1395, immediately after King Taejo Yi Seong-gye moved the capital to Hanyang, and Jeong Do-jeon named the major halls. However, most of it was destroyed during the Imjin War in 1592 and remained in ruins for about 270 years. It was rebuilt in 1867 (the 4th year of King Gojong) under the leadership of Heungseon Daewongun, but after the Eulmi Incident of 1895 and the assassination of Empress Myeongseong, King Gojong moved his residence to the Russian legation and it again lost its status as the center of the royal family. During the Japanese colonial period, it suffered the construction of the Government-General of Korea building and the demolition and damage of many halls.

Major Halls

  • Geunjeongjeon (勤政殿): National Treasure No. 223, the main hall where major state ceremonies such as the king's enthronement, court audiences, and reception of foreign envoys were held. It is a two-story hip-and-gable roof building erected on a two-tiered woldae (raised platform), and rank stones line the courtyard.
  • Sajeongjeon (思政殿): The king's daily administrative hall where he discussed state affairs with officials.
  • Gyeonghoeru (慶會樓): National Treasure No. 224. A pavilion built over a pond, used for entertaining foreign envoys and holding banquets.
  • Hyangwonjeong (香遠亭): A hexagonal pavilion created during King Gojong's reign; 'Hyangwon (香遠)' originates from Zhou Dunyi's On the Love of the Lotus (愛蓮說).
  • Gyotaejeon, Geoncheonggung, and Jagyeongjeon: The queen's living quarters, Geoncheonggung where King Gojong and Empress Myeongseong resided, and other buildings.
  • Gwanghwamun (光化門): The main gate of Gyeongbokgung, meaning 'to enlighten the world with light.'

Royal Guard Changing Ceremony and Viewing

At Gyeongbokgung, a reenactment of the Joseon-era royal guard changing ceremony is held daily in front of Gwanghwamun, providing an important attraction for visitors. Within the palace, visitors can also see the National Palace Museum of Korea and the National Folk Museum of Korea. Night openings (such as the Gyeongbokgung Starlight Night Walk) and free admission for people wearing hanbok are representative viewing programs.

Architectural Features

Gyeongbokgung makes use of the terrain of baesan imsu (mountains behind and water in front), taking Bugaksan as its main mountain and facing south, and follows Confucian ritual order with the spatial order of main hall, administrative hall, and sleeping quarters. The curved eaves, dancheong (decorative coloring), japsang (roof figurines), woldae, and stone sculptures show the essence of Joseon architectural beauty.

Recent Trends

As of 2024–2025, Gyeongbokgung is changing along two axes: 'palace restoration' and 'digital cultural heritage.' A long-term restoration project to recover its appearance at the time of Heungseon Daewongun's reconstruction is ongoing, and along with the restoration of Gwanghwamun's woldae, the surrounding historical and cultural spaces have been reorganized. In addition, augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) palace commentary content and nighttime media art have been introduced, drawing interest from younger generations. As the number of foreign visitors recovers to pre-COVID-19 levels, multilingual guides and reservation systems are being expanded. Experiential tourism such as hanbok experiences and palace stamp tours is also steadily gaining popularity.

Related Topics

  • [[Joseon]]
  • [[Gwanghwamun]]
  • [[Changdeokgung]]
  • [[Heungseon Daewongun]]
  • [[Hanyang]]
  • [[National Palace Museum of Korea]]