Seoul's Five Palaces: Gyeongbokgung to the Secret Garden

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Three thousand won. That's what my ticket into Gyeongbokgung cost, a slip of paper for the grandest palace of a dynasty that ruled for five centuries. Past Heungnyemun Gate the city noise dropped away. Then the wide stone courtyard opened up, the throne hall's double roof rose against the mountains, and I understood why people spend whole days here.

Seoul doesn't have one royal palace. It has five, built by the Joseon dynasty, plus Jongmyo Shrine, which shares their ticketing. They are not five versions of the same thing. Each has its own mood, its own history and its own closing day.

Five Palaces, One Dynasty: How Seoul's Royal Map Fits Together

The Joseon dynasty made this city its capital, and in 1395 Yi Seong-gye, the future King Taejo, built Gyeongbokgung as its official palace. According to the Korea Tourism Organization, it became known as the Northern Palace.

The other names follow the compass. Changdeokgung was the palace in the east, known as Donggwol, and Gyeonghuigung was the western one. Once you know that, a map of Seoul palaces starts making sense instead of looking like a scatter of tiled roofs.

The five are:

• Gyeongbokgung, the northern showpiece and the largest
• Changdeokgung, home of Huwon, the Secret Garden
• Changgyeonggung, historically linked to Changdeokgung
• Deoksugung
• Gyeonghuigung, the western palace

Jongmyo Shrine is the outlier. It's the royal ancestral shrine, not a palace, but it appears on the combined palace ticket alongside four of the five. Don't skip it just because there's no throne room.

Gyeongbokgung: The Grand Showpiece

VisitKorea calls Gyeongbokgung the largest of the five palaces, and it feels it. Many Joseon kings were crowned here. Most of what you see isn't original, though, and that history matters. Fire destroyed the palace during the Imjin War (1592-1598). It was restored much later, under Heungseondaewongun during King Gojong's reign.

What to look for

Head for Gyeonghoeru, the banquet pavilion that seems to float on its pond. Further north, Hyangwonjeong sits on a tiny island in its own pond, reached by a slender bridge. It's the most photographed corner of the grounds, and for good reason.

Two museums sit right here, which makes Gyeongbokgung an easy half-day. The National Palace Museum of Korea is west of the area outside Heungnyemun Gate. The National Folk Museum of Korea is inside the grounds, east of Hyangwonjeong.

Hours, fees and closing day

Official hours shift with the seasons:

• November-February: 09:00-17:00, last entry 16:00
• March-May and September-October: 09:00-18:00, last entry 17:00
• June-August: 09:00-18:30, last entry 17:30

It closes on Tuesdays. When a Tuesday falls on a public holiday, it closes the next business day instead. Adult admission is 3,000 won. Entry is free for visitors aged 18 and under or 65 and over, for anyone wearing hanbok, and for everyone on Culture Day (the last Wednesday of each month). The address is 161 Sajik-ro, Jongno-gu.

Gyeongbokgung is the palace everyone should see, but it's also the one where you'll share the courtyards with the most people. Go at opening. Early in the day it tends to feel noticeably calmer.

Changdeokgung and Huwon, the Secret Garden

If Gyeongbokgung is the ceremonial face of the dynasty, Changdeokgung is where it actually lived. The Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation notes it was founded in 1405 and was the first palace rebuilt after the Imjin War, in 1610, in the second year of King Gwanghaegun's reign, and served as the de facto main palace for about 270 years, until Gyeongbokgung was rebuilt under Gojong.

That long run shows. Buildings were added over generations, following the land rather than flattening it, and the complex grew into the largest surviving palace complex in Seoul. Halls step up the slopes. Paths bend. Where Gyeongbokgung lines everything up on an axis, Changdeokgung lets the hills decide.

Visiting Huwon

Huwon, the rear garden behind the palace, is the reason many people come. It's the Secret Garden by name, and the quiet does feel like a secret once the group moves ahead and you hear only leaves.

You can't just wander in. Huwon is visited by timed guided tour with its own ticket, booked separately from palace entry through the official Royal Palaces and Tombs Center of the Korea Heritage Service. Check the tour times, the fee and how far ahead you can book on that site, and secure the slot before you build the rest of the day around it. Everything else at Changdeokgung is flexible. Huwon isn't.

Spring blossom and autumn foliage are the seasons people chase in the garden. Both mean fuller tours, so book early if your dates land there.

Changgyeonggung, Deoksugung and Gyeonghuigung: The Quieter Three

These three get a fraction of the attention, which is half their appeal. After the crowds at Gyeongbokgung, a calmer palace courtyard is a relief.

Changgyeonggung

The Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation records that Changdeokgung shared no boundary with Changgyeonggung. In other words, they were effectively one connected royal precinct. That makes the pairing obvious: see them on the same day and you understand the eastern palaces as their builders did.

Deoksugung

Deoksugung is on the combined palace ticket, and it works well as a standalone visit rather than one squeezed into a bigger palace day. Give it an unhurried hour or two on a day you're exploring elsewhere in central Seoul.

Gyeonghuigung

The Western Palace is the least visited of the five. It isn't on the combined ticket, but entry is free, and the Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation lists it as open 09:00-18:00 (last admission 17:30) and closed on Mondays. Treat it as a bonus if you're near Gyeongbokgung with time left.

Planning Your Palace Days

Seeing Seoul palaces well comes down to two things: geography and closing days. Get both right and you won't stand at a locked gate. It also helps to pick a base nearby, and our guide to Seoul by neighbourhood covers where to stay.

Suggested pairings

1. Eastern day: Changdeokgung with your Huwon tour, then Changgyeonggung. Add Jongmyo Shrine if you still have energy, unless it's a Tuesday, when it's closed.
2. Northern and western day: Gyeongbokgung plus its two museums, then Gyeonghuigung if its hours suit.
3. Short visit: Deoksugung on its own, slotted into a day of other sightseeing.

Closing days

Gyeongbokgung and Jongmyo Shrine close on Tuesdays. Changdeokgung, Changgyeonggung, Deoksugung and Gyeonghuigung close on Mondays. So a Monday works for Gyeongbokgung and Jongmyo, and a Tuesday suits Changdeokgung and Changgyeonggung. Check the Royal Palaces site for public-holiday exceptions before you lock in your days.

The combined ticket

The Royal Palace Pass covers Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Changgyeonggung, Deoksugung and Jongmyo Shrine for 6,000 won, according to the Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation. It doesn't include the Huwon tour, and the official pages give different validity periods (three or six months), so confirm that when you buy. If you plan to visit three or more of the five sites, it's worth a look.

Hanbok and timing

Visitors wearing hanbok get in free at Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Changgyeonggung and Deoksugung (Jongmyo Shrine isn't on that list). If you're renting one, check the official site for any dress conditions first. Whatever you wear, arrive at opening. Light is softer and courtyards are emptier, and you'll have the pavilion ponds nearly to yourself.

Before You Fly: Entry Basics

Korea's entry formalities depend on your passport, so start with the official sites rather than general advice. If this is your first trip to South Korea, there are a few other practicalities worth sorting early too.

The South Korea e-Arrival Card has been mandatory since 1 January 2026 for arrivals without a valid K-ETA, filed within 72 hours of arrival. You file it on the official e-Arrival Card site.

Whether you need a K-ETA in the first place is something to confirm on the official K-ETA site for your own passport. Korea has applied temporary waivers to some nationalities; for example, South Korea waives K-ETA for Spanish nationals through 31 December 2026, so anyone planning travel in 2027 should check whether that waiver has been extended. Travellers of every other nationality should look up their own passport on the official K-ETA site, since the Korean immigration authorities decide eligibility and the rules can change.

Seeing the Palaces with Viatsy

If you'd like the palaces as part of a wider route, our 8 Days: Essential of Korea itinerary (from €2,801) starts in Jeju, flies to Busan and takes the high-speed train to Seoul, where it includes Gyeongbokgung and the Hanok Village. Changdeokgung and a Huwon tour can be added as a tailor-made extension for travellers who want the Secret Garden too. If royal history is your thing, Silla-era Gyeongju makes a fitting companion to Joseon Seoul.

The Takeaway

Book your Huwon slot first, then build around it: eastern palaces on a day they're open, Gyeongbokgung on any day but Tuesday, Deoksugung whenever you're passing. Arrive at opening, check the combined ticket terms on the official site, and leave room for a slow walk by Hyangwonjeong's pond.

Sources: Korea Tourism Organization (VisitKorea), Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation, Korea Heritage Service Royal Palaces and Tombs Center, Korea e-Arrival Card, K-ETA official site.

General information only, verified November 2026 — not legal, immigration, medical or financial advice. Entry rules, permits, taxes and prices change without notice; confirm with official sources for your own nationality before booking. Viatsy accepts no liability for reliance on this article.