If I had to choose only one royal palace to visit in Seoul, it would be Changdeokgung Palace. I love all five main royal palaces in Seoul; Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Changgyeonggung, Deoksugung and Gyeonghuigung. Each of palaces has its own distinct beauty. Then, what makes Changdeokgung more appealing than others?
1) It is the most well-preserved royal place built by the Joseon Dynasty and served as the main palace for about 270 years during about 500 years of Joseon. The primary palace of Joseon was Gyeongbokgung. However, Gyeongbok Palace had been destroyed by fire in the late 16th century and it was only restored in the 19th century. While Gyeongbokgung remained in ruins, Changdeokgung served as the royal residence and government offices for nearly three centuries.
2) It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Changdeokgung was listed as a Unesco world heritage site in 1997 because it is “an exceptional example of Far Eastern palace architecture and design, blending harmoniously with the surrounding landscape.”
3) Changdeokgung’s highlight is Huwon Secret Garden. The rear garden was a place of retreat for the royal members. It had been called Biwon, Bukwon, Geumwon and more but most commonly used name now is Huwon (후원) meaning rear garden. Its English name is Secret Garden though. The Secret Garden accounts for two thirds of the site. If you don’t visit Huwon Secret Garden, you are missing out a huge part of what Changdeokgung has to offer.
To visit the Secret Garden, visitors are required to join a guided tour. You can either book a tour online or buy the ticket on site. Tickets are on a first-come-first-served basis so I recommend booking a tour on its official website. The tour takes about 90 minutes.
Here are some photos of Changdeokgung and its Huwon Secret Garden from this winter.
Changdeokgung
Address : 99 Yulgok-ro, Waryong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Public Transportation : Anguk Station (Seoul Subway Line 3) Exit 3, Jongno 3-ga Station (Seoul Subway Line 1, 3 and 5) Exit 6.
Operating Hours : 09:00 ~ 18:00 (Jun – Aug : 09:00 ~ 18:30, Nov – Jan : 09:00 ~ 17:30), closed on Mondays.
General Admission : 3,000 won
Secret Garden Admission: 8,000 won (General Admission Fee is included)
Webpage : http://eng.cdg.go.kr
Dear Sir,
I am trying to book the tickets for the secret garden and the Changdeokgung palace but the website only show available tickets for Sept 2018.
When is the Nov tickets open for booking?
Please advise
Thank you
Hi Juu,
I checked their website and it says “관람희망일 6일전 오전10시부터 관람희망일 전날까지 선착순 예약가능하며 예약취소는 관람당일에도 가능”, which means you can book the tour from 6 days before arrival (from 10 a.m.) until 1 days before arrival on a first come first served bases. So, I guess you will have to wait until end of Oct or Nov to book the tour. Hope you will have the chance to stroll around beautiful Secret Garden! 🙂
Hello there. What if I book the secret garden tour ticket and wear hanbok. Do I need to purchase palace entrance ticket too? I learned that if wearing hanbok, it will be free entrance.
Hi Ryu,
In case you are wearing hanbok, you don’t need to purchase the entrance ticket to the palace separately. 🙂 (only the ticket to the secret garden is needed)
Enjoy beautiful Changdeokgung!