The total area of the palace is about 410,000 square meters. It used to consist of more than 300 buildings and 5792 rooms. You can enter the palace from 4 sides: north, south, west and east. The main gate is south, they overlook the main square of Gwanghwamun, and this gate is guarded by the royal guard. In fact, the era of kings in Korea has already passed, and now there is a presidential form of government. But the main gate of the palace is guarded by the Joseon uniformed guards. In front of the gate are statues of mythical animals, similar to either lions or dogs.
Main gates Gwanhwamun
Palace Guard
2 times a day you can see the ceremony of changing the guard. The first guard change takes place in the morning at 9:35, and the second at 13:35.
Changing the Guard
Changing of the guard
The king himself used to enter the main gate. High-ranking officials entered the palace through the east and west gates. A northern gate used by the servants of the palace.
For foreigners entrance to the palace is paid. An adult ticket costs about 3 dollars. The palace gates are closed on Tuesdays.
Gyeongbok Palace was almost completely destroyed during the Imjin War. During the war, the king and his family were forced to leave the palace, settling in another Toksugun palace. The palace was empty for almost 3 centuries. And only with King Kojeong by the end of the 19th century, the palace was completely restored and again became the royal residence.
Imjin War (1592-1598) - Japanese annexation of Korea. This war left a big mark in the history of Korea, destroyed a huge number of important historical sites, and claimed many human lives with it.
However, in 1911, Japanese troops again entered the city and Gyeongbokgung again suffered. Almost all buildings were destroyed, only a few out of 330 buildings were left.
Now let's take a look at the palace and look at the buildings that have survived to the present day and have been reconstructed.
The palace is always crowded. These are mostly tourists. After all, Gyeongbok Palace is Number 1 in the list of attractions of Seoul.
Gate to the Throne Room
On the rocky path we will go to the first building - to the Throne Room. Did you notice that this rocky path is divided into 3 parts? And the middle part is wider and higher. On it went the king. And on the two side paths all the rest. Along the path are columns with inscriptions. These bars indicate the rank of officials. The officials stood according to their rank in order to appeal to the king, i.e. the higher the position, the closer you could get to the king.
The path to the throne room (the third path, alas, is not quite visible in the photo)
And here in front of us is the Throne Hall, in which the most important meetings and coronation ceremonies were held. On the ceiling of the throne room there is a golden dragon, which personifies the supreme power, i.e. the king. If you notice, besides this dragon, there is little gold in the palace. This is one of the distinctive features of the Joseon era. And remember the Russian Petergrof ... Kings believed that decorating buildings with gold was a waste, and it would be better to send these funds to the development of the state.
Throne Room
The ceilings of the buildings are painted in the ancient Korean style. To do this, use natural paints that are not washed off even by rain.
On the roof of the buildings are figures of animals. These figures are believed to protect buildings and the palace from evil spirits.
Little animals on the roof of a building
Another famous building of the palace is the pavilion Gyeonhower , which stands on the pond. This pavilion served as a venue for various events and meetings, because it is called "Pavilion of joyful meetings" . The pavilion stands on 48 pillars. The pavilion was built in such a way that even on the most sultry summer days it was fresh and cool. It is believed that the rectangular pond itself, in which the pavilion stands, is the sky, and the small round islands symbolize the Earth.
Pavilion Kyeonkhweru
Going deep into the palace you can find a "fragrant" pond or "pond of the far-flung aroma" Hyanvonzhong . It was built at the end of the XIX century by decree of King Gojong. The pond was built for the queen and her court ladies. Spring is very beautiful here. In the pond lotuses are blooming and fish are swimming. Trees bloom around. But the bridge from the coast to this hexagonal pond was the longest bridge in the Joseon era.
Pavilion Hyanwonjon[/caption]
Closer to the eastern gate at the palace there is a folklore museum. The entrance to it is free and there you can familiarize yourself with the whole history of Korea, starting from ancient times. The museum has a hall of culture and traditions. One of the exhibits is a scene of a wedding ritual. There is also a corner where you can learn about the celebration of the anniversary of the parents ..., and much more.
Palace in autumn
The throne room on the background of modern high-rise
Gyeongbok Palace is not just a museum, it is also a park through which you can walk for hours. I would advise you to visit it in spring or autumn. Sakura blooms in spring and the weather has for walks. And autumn in Korea is always beautiful. A gold-crimson blanket of leaves envelops the whole country. And yet, if you look towards the main gate, there is a beautiful picture of the combination of modernity and the era of kings.
Ojeong-gu, South Korea
