Deoksugung Palace: Royal Walk in Seoul

Deoksugung is one of the five royal palaces located in the South Korean capital, Seoul. Its name can be translated as Palace of Virtuous Longevity.

If I can't find a construction date for the Deoksugung Palace, the site would however date back to the 1469th century, because it originally served as a "simple" residence for Grand Prince Wolsan, older brother of King Seongjong (1494-1592). Paradoxically, as it did not have the status of a "palace", it was spared from the destruction of the Japanese invasion of 1592. This escape would allow the site to be reused as a temporary residence for King Seonjo, returning from exile after the end of the Imjin War (1598-XNUMX).

One of the particularities of the Deoksugung Palace is to be the only royal complex housing both buildings in the traditional Korean style as well as buildings with Western architecture.

This article is part of my series on Seoul. If you're planning a comprehensive itinerary, find the detailed itinerary here. 4 days in Seoul.

Practical information

Getting to Deoksugung Palace

The palace is located in the heart of Seoul, near the city hall, making it easy to access.

Address: 99 Sejong-daero, Jeong-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul, South Korea

You have the above address on Google Maps but if you plan to use the local navigation app Naver Map, it's here (it's in Korean by default...):

• • • Deoksugung Palace Map on Naver Map

The palace being next to the town hall square, it is enough to stop at City Hall Station, which you can arrive via two lines:

• If you arrive from the line 1, head towards the exit 1 or 3
• If you arrive from the line 2, head towards the exit 12

Get off in front of the city hall, at the "Deoksugung Palace" or "City Hall Station" stop. If you are already in the city center, you will have the choice between these different bus lines:

• • • Green line n° 1711, 7016, 7022
    • Blue line n° 103, 150, 401, 402, 406, 604 or the N16 at night
    • Jongno Bus No. 09 or 11

If you arrive directly from the airport, you can take bus no. 6005. If you look further, there are other bus lines that take you to nearby points, such as Seoul Plaza, the large square in front of the city hall, or the Lotte Hotel and the Press Center. All the information is available in English on the following website: http://english.seoul.go.kr/get-to-know-us/city-hall/directions/1-seoul-city-hall/

City Hall Square in front of Deoksugung Palace.

Deoksugung Palace Hours and Fees

Deoksugung Palace Plan

To help you find your way around the information I will provide below, here is a Deoksugung Palace plan. I indicate the numbers corresponding to the photos and associated explanations. This will only be useful if you come across it one day while doing the free tour, and as I like complete articles, the information is there just in case.

A Brief History of Deoksugung Palace

Le Deoksugung Palace was built during the reign of the king Seongjong in the 15th century, to serve as a residence for his elder brother, Prince Wolsan. While it is unclear why the elder brother was not chosen to reign, he did enjoy his brother's protection. The site did not, however, have the status of a royal palace and is of modest size overall.

In summary, here are the key dates to remember:

Second half of the 15th century : construction of the residence, by King Seongjong for his elder brother.

1593 : the Japanese invasion puts the King Seonjo (1552-1608) who returned a year later to settle temporarily in the Deoksugung palace, spared by the fires.

1608 : Seonjo's successor, the King Gwanghaegun (1575-1641) was crowned in this palace, although the latter was in the process of rehabilitating the Changdeokgung Palace, which would then serve as his residence.

1611 : King Gwanghaegun rename the palace in « Gyeongungung », giving it the status of a royal palace. But knowing that I do not know the name used until then.

1618 : King Gwanghaegun takes up residence in the renovated Changdeokgung Palace. Gyeongungung Palace will later be renamed "Seogung" (Western Palace), and would remain an auxiliary royal residence for the next 270 years, playing no significant role until the late XNUMXth century.

1897 : Emperor Gojong established the Great Han Empire, the first Korean empire, and settled in this palace, which he gave back to its former name of Gyeongungung. The palace became the central seat of the empire. Gojong was determined to modernize the country, which explains the presence of Western-style buildings today, within the Deoksugung Palace itself.

1907 : Emperor Gojong was pressured by Japan to abdicate in favor of his son, Sunjung, who would be the country's last ruler. Emperor Sunjong then gave the palace its current name, Deoksugung, in honor of his father Gojong. The name was meant to wish Gojong a long and prosperous life, as he lived at Deoksugung Palace until his death in 1919 at Hamnyeongjeon Hall.

2007 : Like many palaces in Seoul, Deoksugung Palace is getting a makeover and major restoration work is restoring its original appearance.

Visit the different structures of Deoksugung Palace

To give you an idea of ​​where we were in our trip, we went to Deoksugung Palace on our second day in Seoul, after visiting the first day. Gyeongbokgung Main Palace. Visit which was subsequently combined with the Namdaemun South Gate and the market of the same name located opposite.

I won't hide from you that for this palace, I was too lazy to redo the plan in my own way... So, I kept the one from the official website and its numbering. And as such, it doesn't seem logical to me because it's not really in the order of the visit... Don't be surprised if the numbers don't follow each other in my list of titles, because I prefer to keep the chronology of our visit to explain what each building and area corresponds to.

Daehanmun Gate (Main Entrance) – No.1

Although it is now the main gate, it was not always the case. Traditionally, the main gates of palaces in Korea are located in the south, while this one is located in the east corner. It became the main gate after the expansion of the road in front of it. This is not an exception to the rule, however, as the main gate of Changgyeonggung Palace is also in the east.

On the other hand, it is the only example of a one-story palace entrance gate (as opposed to two normally). First named Daeanmun then renamed Daehanmun in 1906 when it was rebuilt, it is a gate that has been moved several times. Daehanmun was indeed most likely the gate formerly located to the South, but moved to the East due to urban planning. Planning that modified the enclosure surrounding the palace, shifted further to the East, just like this gate was.

The base and stairs of the gate are now buried underground, after the gate was moved back slightly to its current location to make way for the expansion of the avenue in front of it. As an aside, the calligraphy under the roof of Daehanmun Gate was made by Nam Jong-cheol, a high-ranking official during the reign of King Gojong.

Geumcheongyo Bridge – No.2

This is the kind of little thing that is easy to miss. I say this even though I didn't notice it myself and therefore don't even have a photo... It's the small bridge with two arches just behind the main gate, spanning a canal that doesn't exist today. It's a fairly old stone bridge. It's special in the sense that, normally, all the royal palaces had a canal, fed by a natural spring, that crossed them and a stone bridge to cross it.

out, Deoksugung Palace developed from a private residence rather than originally planned as a royal palace, so there was no natural stream. Therefore, an artificial canal was dug and a stone bridge was eventually placed over it. The canal has since disappeared and any water around the palace has since shrunk to a mere pond.

The gate and the bridge are right behind me, that's no use to you! But that's all I have to illustrate...

Hamnyeongjeon Residence and Deokhongjeon Hall (No. 11)

To get to this group of buildings, we passed the Gwangmyeongmun Gate (No. 5 on the map), which appears quite alone in the middle of a large courtyard. The reason being that originally, the latter was the gate leading to the emperor's residence (Hamnyeongjeon Hall, not numbered on the map but next to 11).

However, the Gwangmyeongmun Gate was moved by the Japanese in 1938 near the Seokjojeon Building, which was then being renovated with the addition of the West Wing and the fountain. While the gate has recently returned to its original location, the walls and the rest of the layout of this area of ​​the palace have not, leaving the gate as an "orphan."

Hamnyeongjeon served as Emperor Gojong's bedroom. even though the building also housed the Empress under the same roof. The division being that the right wing was the Emperor's quarters while the Empress slept in the left wing. The fire I mentioned above started in this building, and while it's not directly related (he didn't die in the fire), it was also in this building that Emperor Gojong took his last breath.

These two events are however linked. At this time, the Japanese Empire already had its sights set on the Korean peninsula, which it sought to occupy, and it considered Gojong as a bulwark against this objective. It was then strongly suspected that the fire was of criminal origin when Emperor Gojong, who died in 1919, succumbed to poisoning.

Deokhongjeon Hall is the secondary building adjoining the Emperor's quarters. It is one of the most recent constructions since it dates back to 1911 and that is why it has some characteristics specific to the transition to modernity, launched by Gojong. In fact, we can see an electrical installation there (just like Hamnyeongjeon which has chandeliers on the ceiling), in fact, it was the one present since 1887 at Gyeongbokgung Palace, which was moved to this palace.

Deokhongjeon Hall is a bit special because it is square in shape, as opposed to the usually rectangular halls in Korean tradition. Deokhongjeon was made to receive ambassadors, high dignitaries and conduct the daily affairs of the government. Another piece of information that I can add is that a wall once separated Deokhongjeon from the private quarters of Hamnyeongjeon.

And there, I have kindly given you the summary as it is presented on the various sites presenting the Deoksugung Palace. But personally, I balked when I read all that. Because if we check the information, there is something illogical. Deokhongjeon is for example presented as having served Gojong, the first Emperor of the new Korean empire. However, the latter, as I noted above, was dismissed and replaced by his son, Sunjong, in 1907. Until then, there could simply be a confusion of "title", because if Gojong was no longer the Emperor, officially, he could have contributed to state affairs. Except that in 1911, the Korean Empire was no more! Since the latter had just been annexed by Japan, and even Emperor Sunjong had abdicated, leaving the country without a sovereign for the first time in its history.

Logic would therefore dictate that a blunder was repeated everywhere but that the building rather dates from 1901 and not 1911. And if it is indeed 1911, it could certainly be the work of Gojong, but I doubt that he carried out any state affairs there since he no longer had any power at that time, being barely tolerated by the Japanese. At most, he used it as a personal office and perhaps received guests but without directly deciding the fate of his country. I also think that there is an abuse of language, considering Gojong, then still alive, as still being "Emperor" de facto, despite Japanese domination.

View of Deokhongjeon Hall.

Jeonggwanheon and the Deoksugung Gardens (No. 12)

Just behind Hamnyeongjeon and Deokhongjeon is a lovely terraced garden, dominated at the top by a small hall, Jeonggwanheon. The name could be translated as "the place to observe the garden in silence". Understand that it is like a garden shed to enjoy this green area in peace.

Built in 1900, Jeonggwanheon was the first example of European architecture integrated into a royal palace.. Emperor Gojong liked to rest here, drink tea, listen to music and held small receptions here. The Japanese also used it as a cafeteria during the occupation.

Terraced garden.

The building is supported by a set of wooden colonnades and surrounded by three verandas. The tops of the exterior columns are Romanesque in style and the space between the tops of the columns is decorated with openwork patterns. Deer, pine trees, bats and floral motifs decorate the tops of the exterior columns and the balustrades for produce a Korean style atmosphere.

This little touch is the work of Russian architect Sabatin, who designed this work. Because if the latter has indeed made the whole in a clearly Western style, he has respected the local culture by integrating details specific to Korea. The deer that can be admired on the wooden panels of the railings, holds in its mouth a branch of bullocho, a plant known in Korea for its medicinal virtues. We can also see pines, symbol of longevity (just like those present in the garden) as well as dragons, symbol of the Emperor. Less common, by scrutinizing the patterns a little, we can also see a bat, because in Asia, this animal with a bad reputation in Europe is perceived as a symbol of good fortune in Asia (among other things by the proximity of the sound between the word "fortune" and "bat" in Chinese characters).

Seogeodang Hall (No. 13)

To get to the next area, we walked along a small alley covered by trees. We then passed behind the Seogeodang Hall. This is the only building with a double-story roof architecture. Because it is not decorated with colorful paintings like the buildings of royal palaces usually are, Seogeodang looks like more or less to the typical houses of the period, namely the end of the 15th century.

Shortly after the Japanese invasion of 1592, King Seonjo established his quarters here and remained there for the remaining 16 years of his reign. It is in this very building, Seogeodang, that Seonjo died in 1608, leaving behind among others his young queen consort Inmok. It was in the courtyard in front of this building that Queen Dowager Inmok severely reprimanded King Gwanghaegun, Seonjo's successor, for his misdeeds. As a result, Queen Inmok was placed under house arrest here for 10 years.

Gwanghaegun's successor, King Injo, moved most of the buildings in Deoksugung Palace to Gyeongbokgung Palace, which was under renovation, but kept Seogeodang in its current location. Unfortunately, the current building does not date from this period, as it was not spared by the fire of 1904.

Junmyeongdang and Jeukjodang Halls (No. 9 and 10)

These two conjoined halls are located behind the throne hall (Junghwajeon). Junmyeongdang is the building to the west. And this is where King Gojong (before he became Emperor by founding the Korean Empire) received foreign delegations and managed state affairs. The original structure also went up in smoke during the fire of 1904 and the current building was rebuilt in the process.

It later served as a nursery for young girls from noble families surrounding the royal family, including his young daughter, Princess Deokhye, who would be the last in all of Korea to bear this title (she died in 1989). Junmyeongdang is connected to Jeukjodang by a narrow corridor supported by a stone bridge.

Jeukjodang is the East Hall, the name simply meaning "house where kings ascended their thrones", because it is there , where Kings Gwanghaegun (1608) and Injo (1623) were crowned.. Also rebuilt after the fire of 1904, the sign above the gate was written by the hand of King Gojong himself.

Western Buildings (Seokjojeon)

Seokjojeon was built in 1910, the first of its kind in a royal palace since it is a western style building and more precisely, sporting a 1898th century neoclassical architectural style, with Greek-style colonnades and a triangular central roof. Designed by the British architect John Reginald Harding in 1900, work began in 12, then supervised by Sim Uiseok, a Korean, Sabatin, the same Russian architect as the veranda of this same palace (if you forgot, I talk about it above regarding number 10), and finally Ogawa, a Japanese. As it would take no less than XNUMX years to complete the building, work was then completed under the direction of MH Davidson, an Englishman.

Consisting of three floors, the first was used for attendants and valets while the second was then intended as an audience hall, although rarely used except for a few banquets, as was the third floor, intended as the new residence of the king. This last floor included the bedrooms of King Gojong, the living rooms and an office for the use of the king and the queen consort.

Facade of Seokjojeon.

Seokjojeon, a very “White House” side.

Later, the building was converted as a museum and is now part of the Royal Museum, the Daehan Empire Historical Museum, housing in 11 exhibition rooms personal effects that belonged to the last members of the Yi royal house, which included the last Emperor of Korea. It is a museum to discover what the daily life of the royal family was like during the short-lived Korean Empire.

If you are interested, please note that it is necessary to make a reservation to visit the museum. See information below.

From 1936, the west wing was added and completed in 1938, during which time a garden and a fountain were built in front. This new building, similar in style to Seokjojeon, now houses the national museum of contemporary art (more precisely, the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Deoksugung).

This museum specializes in modern art and is dedicated to various activities: academic studies, collection and preservation of works of art, staging of temporary and permanent exhibitions, development and execution of educational programs, publication and international dissemination of information.

Facade of the west wing of Seokjojeon, now the Museum of Contemporary Art.

The fountain and the throne room behind.

Seokjojeon and its left wing, both converted into museums.

Junghwamun Gate and Junghwajeon Throne Hall (No. 3 and 4)

We come to the centerpiece of Deoksugung Palace, and I'm obviously not talking about Junghwamun Gate, which faces south, in line with Junghwajeon, the throne room. It is the main hall of Deoksugung Palace, built just like the gate in 1902, only to go up in smoke two years later (yes, that famous fire of 1904 again).

Although it was originally topped with a two-story roof like the other palaces, it was rebuilt more modestly only two years later in 1906 (at the same time as the Junghwamun gate). And it is almost anecdotal, but it makes Junghwajeon one of the last structures built during the Joseon Dynasty with the Japanese annexation in 1910. As with all other palaces, behind the gate one can admire a large paved courtyard, where state ceremonies took place. The stones again mark the position of officials according to their rank, with those closest to the king obviously being the highest-ranking officials.

Junghwamun Gate, facing the throne room.

The Junghwajeon Throne Hall of Deoksugung Palace.

Steles indicating the locations of high officials during state ceremonies.

This hall is much more sober in terms of size compared to those of the other palaces, showing the limited role that Deoksugung Palace has as a royal palace. Junghwajeon rests on a "small" two-story terrace. The stairs are traditionally bordered by "haetae", these kinds of mythological lions specific to Korea. Another particularity specific to this palace, the throne room is to this day freely accessible around.

Usually, these important halls were surrounded by a covered corridor, as seen at Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, and Changgyeonggung Palaces, which is no longer the case at Deoksugung Palace. Historians believe that the corridor that currently partially surrounds the Hamnyeongjeon residence was once part of the structure surrounding the throne hall.

Inside the building, you can admire the throne, behind which is the painting called Irwoloakdo, a classic in Korea. It includes the sun, the moon and five mountains. This painting symbolizes the Korean people's wish that their emperor be prosperous forever. The dragons that can be seen on the ceiling symbolize the emperor's total authority.

This concludes our visit to Deoksugung Palace. To give you an idea of ​​the time, it took us just one hour to go around quite quietly. If I'm honest, I visited it in order to have actually visited the famous five palaces of Seoul, just to be at least a little complete on the blog.

Luckily it was only the second one for us, so not particularly boring, and still interesting, because due to its recent history, it has its "own character". But due to the similarity in the overall architecture of the buildings (except Seokjojeon), I can understand that the latter is skipped in favor of other places if you don't have enough time in Seoul.

To complete: what to do around Deoksugung Palace?

• • Myeongdong Neighborhoods
  • South Gate and Namdaemun Market
  • Cheonggyecheon

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