Landmark · Jongno
Gyeongbokgung
Seoul’s grand palace, best at guard-change
Why go
Gyeongbokgung is the largest and grandest of Seoul’s five royal palaces, mountains rising behind its throne-hall roofline. Time your visit to the changing of the guard at the main gate, and know the local cheat: arrive in a rented hanbok and the palace waves you in free.
What to see
- The guard ceremony, drums, banners and silk at Gwanghwamun Gate.
- Geunjeongjeon, the throne hall and its stone-ranked courtyard.
- Gyeonghoeru Pavilion, the banquet hall on stilts over its lotus pond.
- Hyangwonjeong, the quieter rear-garden pavilion most visitors never reach.
How to skip the crowds
The front courts fill around each ceremony; walk the long axis to the rear gardens and the crowds thin to nothing. Weekday mornings are calmest, and the national museums flanking the grounds absorb a rainy hour well.
Getting there
Gyeongbokgung station opens directly onto the palace; Gwanghwamun square makes the grander approach. Bukchon Hanok Village starts just east of the walls, which is the natural next hour.
