Gyeongbokgung Palace
Gyeongbokgung Palace
4.5
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
About
The National Museum of Korea and the National Folk Museum are located on the grounds of this palace, built six centuries ago by the founder of the Chosun dynasty.
Duration: 2-3 hours
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The area
Neighborhood: Jongno-gu
How to get there
- Gyeongbokgung • 7 min walk
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Restaurants
2,652 within 3 miles
Attractions
598 within 6 miles
See what travelers are saying
- LeeNClarkeSydney, Australia537 contributionsBeautiful rebuilt Palace.A beautiful rebuilt of the Palace after it was destroyed in the last Japanese occupation. The architecture very ornate and beautiful. It is a very interesting visit ONLY if you wait for a guided tour in English. The English speaking guide was very engaging and informative. Made the trip worthwhile.Visited June 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten June 5, 2023
- K.W.34 contributionsLarge Palace!My husband, 10 yr old daughter and I have been to Gyeonbokgung twice. The first time we walked the grounds but did not get to see everything (FYI it is very hot in August, especially while wearing Hanbok). The second was part of a quick stop to watch the changing of the guard. Do yourself a favor and make sure you do this. It is a recreation of what would have happened at the palace daily. Our daughter really enjoyed it.Visited April 2023Written June 6, 2023
- Evo5sg33 contributionsPalace in the cityVery touristy place with bus loads of them. Not much shade available as it was very hot on the day of my visit - Monday. Witnessed the guard ceremony at 11 am. Youth from overseas do not need to pay for complimentary tickets currently.Visited June 2023Traveled with familyWritten June 6, 2023
- Alicia F5 contributionsA must seeMake sure you catch the changing of the guard ceremony! Quite a bit of history at this site. I wished there were a few rooms open, like the sleeping places of those who worked and lived (beyond royalty) at the palace. Do many walls, but little else to see. We also made sure to see the Palace Museum (free) to complete our Palace tour.Visited June 2023Traveled with familyWritten June 22, 2023
- Keith SMount Claremont, Australia388 contributionsLarge palace with multiple buildingLarge palace, multiple buildings, lots of people dressed up in hanbok. The palace stretches for hundreds of metres back and features multiple buildings, moats, temples and a small pagoda. Fun to exploreVisited June 2023Traveled with familyWritten June 23, 2023
- Cheryl C36 contributionsA lot of the sameA lot of area to cover if you want to pay to go through the whole site. However if you just want a taste of the palace you can go in the front gate, see the changing of the guards for free. Many people dress up in time period clothes for pictures. We saw a store where you could rent the clothes right near the palace.Visited June 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten June 24, 2023
- Moonrock1962Devonport, Australia1,104 contributionsImpressive palace and cultural experienceOur first visit to a Korean Palace and we were not disappointed. Gyeongbokgung is easy to access via subway and impresses immediately on first sight. There is a regular changing of the guard and it is a colourful ceremony- well worth spending time to watch this. Over the road from the Palace are lots of little shops hiring out traditional Hanok clothing. If you don’t dress up you will be the odd one out and it really adds to the visuals. To locate the shops, just look at where streams of costumed people are coming from and follow the lines back. An apparent bonus is that wearing Hanok is free entry- well at least we were waved through at no charge which was nice. Interpretation signs in English scattered throughout the complex whith souvenir and coffee shop on site. An interesting and enjoyable visit.Visited June 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten July 7, 2023
- William MManila, Philippines50 contributionsAn amazing experienceA very large palace that is easily accessible by subway. The changing of the guard ceremony is a must-see. You can also rent out the traditional hanbok clothing and enter the palace grounds for free. Take your time to go around the palace grounds and revisit history. It was a very impressive visit especially for those who are interested in the Korean culture.Visited April 2023Traveled with familyWritten July 8, 2023
- MisterUserNameAtlanta, Georgia2,024 contributionsScenic everywhereWe enjoyed walking around and taking pics for almost three hours while we were there last Saturday July 1, 2023. Tickets were easy to buy & quite cheap (3,000 won each), finding a parking spot wasn’t hard at all, and it wasn’t too crowded. There were people from everywhere and many of them were wearing hanboks on a very hot summer day in Seoul, hottest day of the year, close to 90 degrees. While walking around, we enjoyed the stunning views and reading about its rich history.Visited July 2023Traveled with friendsWritten July 11, 2023
- Susan S8 contributionsA Must SeeGorgeous! Be sure to rent the audio headsets. They provide detailed historical accounts of what each structure is, how it was used, it’s importance, etc. Lots of history and context. We happened to visit on an extremely hot day. There is limited shade, so bring a hat or umbrella. There is a small cafe on-site which sells water, sodas and snack foods. It is somewhat air conditioned so it served as a good rest stop along the way.Visited July 2023Traveled with familyWritten July 15, 2023
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soohee C
Los Angeles, CA3 contributions
Oct 2019
ユネスコ世界文化遺産で、大都会ソウルのど真ん中に600年前の王宮や広い王様専用の秘密庭園があってとても不思議な感じがしました。解説付きのツアーをお勧めしたい。色々説明を聞けるので一人で見回るより楽しかった。夜のツアーもとても雰囲気があって優雅な韓服を着て朝鮮時代の音楽やお茶会が体験できて超〜〜楽しかった。何回でも行きたい。It is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and in the heart of the big city of Seoul, there is a palace of 600 years ago and a secret garden dedicated to the king, which made me feel very strange.I would recommend a tour with explanation.I had more fun than going around alone because I could hear a lot of explanations."The night tour was very atmospheric, and I had a really fun time to experience the music and tea ceremony of the Chosun Dynasty wearing elegant hanbok."I want to go as many times as I want.
Written March 29, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Everlyne
Singapore, Singapore196 contributions
Dec 2019 • Family
The palace is well visited by tourist and locals. Do not miss the 2pm change of palace guards ceremony. The ceremony takes place outside the gated zone but getting a ticket to visit the palace is totally worth it.
The place is huge and we spent at least 1.5h walking around because we wanted to fully explore the gardens and rooms.
It might be a good idea to rent hanbok costumes for the visit.
The place is huge and we spent at least 1.5h walking around because we wanted to fully explore the gardens and rooms.
It might be a good idea to rent hanbok costumes for the visit.
Written January 9, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Culinary-Consultants
Ferrara, Italy3,745 contributions
Jan 2020
Gyeongbokgung Palace, the "Palace Greatly Blessed by Heaven" was the first palace built by the Joseon founder in 1395.
As far as we understood based on our tour guide; the site of Gyeongbokgung Palace was at the heart of Seoul and deemed auspicious according to the traditional practice of geomancy. Gyeongbokgung Palace provides a glimpse into Joseon's royal culture, palace life and architecture.
This palace happens to be the largest of all five grand palaces built in the Joseon Dynasty, remaining in Seoul. The palace is beautiful for visits in all four distinct seasons in Korea.
Visitors can enter Gyeongbokgung Palace through all four sides of Gyeongbokgung Palace. Gwanghwamun Gate (main gate) on the south, Yongchumun Gate on the west (newly opened on 6 Dec 2018), Sinmumun Gate on the north and National Folk Museum of Korea entrance on the east.
Another relevant info is that the Gyeongbokgung Palace was destroyed by fire during the Imjin War (Japanese Invasions, 1592-1598), and the site remained vacant for the next 273 years. It was later restored during the reign of King Gojong.
We were there around 12:00 noon therefore you must see the change of guard as it is a must. You can see my pictures here as I place some for this particular matter. I’ll try to upload a video although a bit long, very interesting indeed. Enjoy it as we did, although I have a feeling if we went in Spring the trees and flowers would have bring a more dramatic and pleasant look to the premises.
But I don’t complaint as thank God the day was sunny and the temperature bearable. Definitely a must go place during your stay in Seoul.
As far as we understood based on our tour guide; the site of Gyeongbokgung Palace was at the heart of Seoul and deemed auspicious according to the traditional practice of geomancy. Gyeongbokgung Palace provides a glimpse into Joseon's royal culture, palace life and architecture.
This palace happens to be the largest of all five grand palaces built in the Joseon Dynasty, remaining in Seoul. The palace is beautiful for visits in all four distinct seasons in Korea.
Visitors can enter Gyeongbokgung Palace through all four sides of Gyeongbokgung Palace. Gwanghwamun Gate (main gate) on the south, Yongchumun Gate on the west (newly opened on 6 Dec 2018), Sinmumun Gate on the north and National Folk Museum of Korea entrance on the east.
Another relevant info is that the Gyeongbokgung Palace was destroyed by fire during the Imjin War (Japanese Invasions, 1592-1598), and the site remained vacant for the next 273 years. It was later restored during the reign of King Gojong.
We were there around 12:00 noon therefore you must see the change of guard as it is a must. You can see my pictures here as I place some for this particular matter. I’ll try to upload a video although a bit long, very interesting indeed. Enjoy it as we did, although I have a feeling if we went in Spring the trees and flowers would have bring a more dramatic and pleasant look to the premises.
But I don’t complaint as thank God the day was sunny and the temperature bearable. Definitely a must go place during your stay in Seoul.
Written January 28, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Neil Explores
Quezon City, Philippines160 contributions
Nov 2019
A visit to the palace is not complete without wearing the colorful Hanbok, Korea's national costume. There are tons of Hanbok shops around the palace where you can either buy or wear them for a fee. Upon entering the palace grounds, it feels like you travelled back in time with practically almost all visitors wearing the Hanbok. It will definitely make you appreciate the palace and the country more.
Written April 12, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
patrickperbkk
Perth, Australia1,181 contributions
Jan 2020
Highly recommended to visit Gyeongbokgung Palace at 9am as it’s quite empty, not many tourists yet. The Palace is very interesting with long history.
There is a security guards gate change performance at 10am and it’s free. Anyway, the palace is closed on Tuesday.
It's very convenient to visit as it's located in the heart of Seoul.
There is a security guards gate change performance at 10am and it’s free. Anyway, the palace is closed on Tuesday.
It's very convenient to visit as it's located in the heart of Seoul.
Written April 2, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Chris Ruggaluffagus
Yorktown, VA298 contributions
Nov 2020 • Friends
This palace is definitely a must see over all other palaces in Seoul. It’s enormous with many areas to spread out and explore. A small fee of ₩3000 is required to enter the grounds, but for the most famous/popular pictures you can take those for free without entering.
Warning...a lot of construction and renovation so you won’t get to see any of the water features in previous pictures.
Bring your walking shoes, lockers are provided for free on site. This is a great place to let the kids run around.
Located in the “heart” of Seoul, there are many places close by to explore further.
Only really need 1 hour, but can take up to 2 hours if you read all the signs and go in every building.
Warning...a lot of construction and renovation so you won’t get to see any of the water features in previous pictures.
Bring your walking shoes, lockers are provided for free on site. This is a great place to let the kids run around.
Located in the “heart” of Seoul, there are many places close by to explore further.
Only really need 1 hour, but can take up to 2 hours if you read all the signs and go in every building.
Written November 7, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ryan B
Atlanta, GA927 contributions
Jul 2022
I was in Seoul for only 5 days on a business trip and got 1 free morning and afternoon to enjoy the city before an evening flight and I was so glad I visited this palace! I stayed at the Plaza Hotel and it was about a 20 minute walk to the impressive front gates. There were guards dressed in period costumes you could take pictures next to and in the front you could purchase guided tours or get a free map to walk around. There are kiosks where you can buy tickets in any language which was helpful for me as an English speaker. They also rent period dress outfits you can wear and they waive the entrance cost (which was very cheap) and that was popular with the kids. I spent the better part of 2 hours walking the property and seeing the sites of this almost 700 year old complex. The pictures were beautiful, especially the gazebos on the water. There was also a small cafe and gift shop on the grounds to get out of the sweltering heat. If you only have a day to visit the city I recommend not missing the palace!
Written August 17, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Abovetheclouds
2,044 contributions
Jun 2022 • Solo
Of all the palaces in Seoul, this is the main one and a must. If your limited on time, definitely do this one. As you can imagine, busy but with Korea having just reopened after C-19, not as bad as pre-pandemic times. Go early. I got there at 09:00 as it opened and I was done by noon. It was packed by then. Grounds are huge, when it starts to get hot you will struggle in the heat. Entrance is cheap. I timed my visit so I walked around for an hour, watched the Royal Guard Changing Ceremony at 10:00 (around fifteen minutes), walked around some more and then joined the free English guided tour at 11:00 for one hour. Check online the night before as they change timings and closure days. Perfect. My free time allowed me to explore and the guided tour was good providing an overview to some of the main buildings as well as details I didn't notice walking alone. Guided tours are not in many languages. English was the only European language but this may be due to the limited tourists at present. Take water with. I may be wrong but there only appeared to be one cafe inside. If you don't do the free guided tour, there are information booklets but staff are not that friendly and don't volunteer this information. After you have purchased a ticket, go through the main entrance and on the right are the booklets in a few languages. There are also information boards at some of the palace buildings with a few facts. At the time of writing June, 2022 adult entry for a foreigner is 3,000 Korean Won. If you wear the traditional Korean hanbok outfit (assume you can hire this nearby), then you can go in for free. A lot of people were doing this but check the price first. Unless you want to dress up and take photographs then do it. If your doing it to go in free, the entrance is cheap and I think hiring the outfit may cost more! Plus it is really hot (depending when you go). The National Folk Museum of Korea is located at the back, free to enter. Highly recommend going. Although I was tired I did this after the palace (spent about an hour at the museum) and it was really good. In total I was there for four hours to cover both. Grounds are clean and well laid out. If you do the museum, you cannot go back into the palace so do it after you have finished at the palace. The museum exits into a main road where you can easily get public transport or a taxi.
Written June 1, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
fire-tower
2,900 contributions
Dec 2023 • Family
Visited Gyeongbokgung Palace on Christmas Day and the place was packed with both locals and tourists. There is a small entrance fee charged but youths get to go in for free. We could not rent audio guides though, as we had left our passports at the hotel, and the guy manning the counter refused to let us have more than 1 audio guide as I was the only one with a drivers licence (they need government issued IDs as a security deposit - something which many other place do not require other than a cash security).
As it had been snowing since the night before and still snowing when we arrived, the palace grounds were covered in a blanket of powered snow and the ponds were all frozen. The entire palace was well maintained and we enjoyed ourselves very much. Do pay the entrance fees and enter the grounds. Definitely worth a visit.
As it had been snowing since the night before and still snowing when we arrived, the palace grounds were covered in a blanket of powered snow and the ponds were all frozen. The entire palace was well maintained and we enjoyed ourselves very much. Do pay the entrance fees and enter the grounds. Definitely worth a visit.
Written January 15, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Venneth Chan
Singapore, Singapore45 contributions
Jan 2020 • Family
A rich in cultural and historical value place to visit.Lots of visitor tourists during the winter holidays. A must visit to their HISTORICAL AND Cultural Museum located directly within the Palace vacinity. The museum inside is clean, quiet and warmy-heated during the winter .Has free locker service to accommodate our outer winter wears etc. Another tourist attraction free for viewing.
Written January 13, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Isabina G
Bacolod, Philippines
i want to know if a tourguide is required tour in whole south korea
NA- Australia
Dandenong, Australia908 contributions
Apologies- only just saw this question - no I don’t think you need a tour guide. Using booking . Com and naver we found all we needed- granted some locations were harder to get to/ but patience and a good spirit will get you see most things you need- public transport is pretty good and comfortable there too.
chasewfahn
San Francisco, CA8 contributions
Which palace has the better tour? If we can only choose one palace to do guided english tour, which is better? Gyeongbokgung Palace vs Changdeokgung Palace
Abovetheclouds
2,044 contributions
Gyeongbokgung
How much cost to rent hanbok?
And what time is appropriate to visiting in August?
Мария М
Krasnodar, Russia106 contributions
HI. price from 15 000 to 35 000.
Depens of plavce where you rent and time. Also you can find % for hanbok in internert
EJ H
1 contribution
Hi are all the tourist attraction still open because of the virus? i heard schools have closed because of this in south korea?
Vincent M
New Orleans, LA2,257 contributions
I believe they’re all keeping regular hours, though admission times to palaces are always reduced in February compared to summertime. I suppose this could change at any time due to the viral outbreak. Your best bet would be to contact the attraction the day before you want to go, or confirm with a concierge if your hotel has one. Both the National Museum and the War Memorial are vast in size, and of course the palaces are wide-open spaces. Infection of any sort would be considerably more likely in the subway headed to the attraction, than at the attraction itself. Do note that there’s been a run on protective masks in Seoul, so you might want to bring some with you. Web pages may not reflect a sudden emergency change in hours of opening, so I’d recommend you phone ahead. Here are phone numbers to my three favourite attractions. National Museum +82-2-2077-9000. War Memorial +82 2-709-3139. Gyeongbokgung +82-2-3700-3900.
Dan
Malaysia
Are we allowed to enter the wooden bridge of Hyangwonjeong Pavilion? Seems like its a no entry. Is there any ways to enter ??
Russell1979
Dubai, United Arab Emirates148 contributions
No we couldn't enter as well, we didn't ask either. Nevertheless you could check with information, maybe they are doing some work or something in that section.
How much money to spend for visiting gyeongbokgung palace?
Nikolaos Poniros
Seoul, South Korea58 contributions
8.6 euros is too much, maybe you got the special private tour. Free entrance if you wear hanbok (which you have to rent and is pricey) or last Wednesday of the month. Yes drinks you can get from outside.
How much in total to spend for visiting gyeongbokgung palace?
Hyejin J
Seoul, South Korea
Just a day is enough! It takes only 2~3 hours to look around the whole palace.
There are some traditional villages and markets, so you should visit there, too!
where can i buy integrated pass?
Richard E
Portsmouth, NH233 contributions
The passes can be bought at the ticket office just inside the entrance to the right. The changing of the gaurd is at 10am
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