Gyeonghuigung Palace ( 경희궁 )

One of the five grand palaces, Gyeonghuigung Palace was also called “Seogweol” (which means “palace of the west”) because it’s located west of the main palace, Gyeongbokgung. In its heyday, it was part of a vast complex, with 100 buildings in total, but most of these were destroyed during the Japanese occupation. Following intensive restoration work, it reopened to the public in 2002. On its grounds stand the Seoul Museum of History and the Gyeonghuigung Annex Building of the Seoul Museum of Art.

The palace was originally constructed by the order of King Gwanghae, the fifteenth king of the Joseon Dynasty, and was completed in 1623. From the beginning, it was much-loved and served as a secondary palace for some ten kings of the Joseon Dynasty. Most of Gyeonghuigung’s buildings were relocated to Gyeongbokgung during the 19th-century reconstruction. During their occupation of Korea, the Japanese dismantled much of Gyeonghuigung in order to build Gyeongseong Middle School for Japanese citizens in 1910. Later on, after years of neglect, the remaining buildings of the palace, such as Sungjeongjeon (Hall), were demolished, and the site was reduced to half its original size. In 1987, the Seoul Metropolitan Government began a restoration project, and, after years of careful work, the main part of the building officially reopened to the public in 2002. At present, many other palace buildings are still undergoing restoration.

Operating time: From Tuesday to Sunday 09:00-18:00

National Holidays 10:00-18:00

March to October

Weekdays 09:00 ~ 18:00

Saturday or Holidays 09:00 ~ 17:00

November to February

Weekdays 09:00 ~ 17:00

Saturday or Holidays 09:00 ~ 17:00

 Closed on every Monday, January 1.