One of the first places I visited in Seoul was Gyeongbokgung. Classical Korean architecture wasn’t entirely new to me as the Center for Korean Studies at my alma mater, the University of Hawaii at Manoa is actually a gorgeous recreation of Korean palaces. In fact, Kyongbok Palace in Seoul provided the design inspiration for the buildings at UHM. So Gyeongbokgung Palace sort of felt like a place I used to go watch films on Thursday nights and take Indonesian martial arts courses on Sunday mornings.
This sign made me giggle. It says "Only Koreans over Age 65 are Free", the meaning is of course not what is expected here, but perhaps in Korea everyone 64 or younger are not free.
There were huge numbers of people there, but the grounds were so vast that it didn’t make much of a difference. The pomp of the changing of the guard ceremony was epic, as you can see here.
Gyeongbokgung, translates in English as “Palace of Shining Happiness.” Certainly I saw lots of shining happiness from visitors during the changing of the guard ceremonies.
It is called the“Northern Palace” because it is the furthest north when compared to the neighboring palaces of Changdeokgung (Eastern Palace) and Gyeongheegung (Western Palace). It contains 7,700 rooms and the remains of the Joseon Dynasty, Gyeonghoe-ru Pavilion and Hyangwonjeong Pond.
The National Palace Museum of Korea is located south of Heungnyemun Gate, and the National Folk Museum is located east within Hyangwonjeong. I’ll write more about those later along with more pictures for you.
Admission Price : 3,000 South Korean Won (about $3) includes the National Folk Museum and National Palace Museum – Free walking tours available.
Open Wednesday-Monday
I’ve got tons more pictures, but for now, this will have to do. Have you been here? What did you think?
As always, if you are heading to South Korea and want to ask anything about it, the travel advice is free for the asking or you might find the links below to be helpful.
South Korea Resources
Seoul Hotels
Hostels in South Korea
Travel Insurance for South Korea
South Korea Guidebooks
South Korea and Around the World
Last Minute Flights, Hotels, Cars
You Might Also Enjoy:
About Vago Damitio
Vago Damitio (@vagodamitio) is the Editor-in-Chief for Vagobond. He jumped ship from a sinking dotcom in 2000 and decided to reclaim his most valuable commodity, time. He bought a VW bus for $100, moved into it and set out on a journey to show the world that it was possible to live life on your own terms. That journey took him from waking up under icy blankets in the Pacific Northwest to waking up under palm tress in Southeast Asia. Three years later, his first book, Rough Living: Tips and Tales of a Vagabond was published. After diving into the Anthropology of Tourism and Electronic Anthropology at the University of Hawaii (with undeclared minors in film and surf) he hit the road again in 2008. Since that time,he's lived primarily in Morocco and Turkey, married a Moroccan girl he couchsurfed with, and become a proud father. He's been to more than 40 countries, founded a successful online travel magazine (this one!), and still doesn't have a boss. Life is good. You can also find him on Google+ and at Facebook