Gyeonghuigung Palace

Gyeonghuigung stands next to the Seoul Museum of History in Jongno-gu. Because it lay west of Gyeongbokgung, it was also called Seogwol, the "West Palace". Of Seoul's five royal palaces it was the most thoroughly destroyed, and very little of the original survives, but the restored Sungjeongjeon area can be explored free of charge and in peace. Unlike the four busier palaces it is quiet, so many people use it as a walk in the middle of the city.

History: the western palace of Gwanghaegun

The site was originally the home of Prince Jeongwon, father of King Injo, later honoured as King Wonjong. Told that royal energy gathered here, King Gwanghaegun seized the house and began building a palace in 1617, completing it in 1620. It was first called Gyeongdeokgung; in 1760 King Yeongjo renamed it Gyeonghuigung because the old name sounded the same as Wonjong's posthumous title.

About ten kings, from Injo to Cheoljong, lived here. King Sukjong was born in the palace, Gyeongjong, Jeongjo and Heonjong were enthroned at Sungjeongmun gate, and Yeongjo spent most of his later years here. The palace was once large enough to be linked to Deoksugung by an arched bridge and had around 100 buildings. It was counted among the three great palaces of Joseon, alongside Gyeongbokgung and Changgyeonggung.

Destruction and restoration

A fire in 1829 destroyed many halls, which were rebuilt in 1831, but under King Gojong most buildings were pulled down to supply materials for the reconstruction of Gyeongbokgung. Meanwhile a mint and a sericulture station moved onto the empty grounds; in 1884 a German, A. H. Maertens, was hired to run the silkworm farm, and a map made by foreigners around 1901 even labelled the site "Mulberry Park". In 1910 a Japanese school, Keijo Middle School, was built here and the remaining buildings were scattered. The throne hall, Sungjeongjeon, was moved to a Japanese temple on Namsan in 1926 and now serves as Jeonggakwon, the Buddhist hall of Dongguk University. The main gate, Heunghwamun, became the gate of Hakubunji, a temple honouring Ito Hirobumi, in 1932, later served as the gate of a hotel, and only returned in 1988 — though not to its original spot.

After liberation the site housed Seoul High School. When the school moved away in 1980, the area was designated a Historic Site, and Sungjeongjeon, Jajeongjeon, Taeryeongjeon and Sungjeongmun were later rebuilt.

What to see

• Heunghwamun: the main gate, built under Gwanghaegun, home again after decades of wandering.
• Sungjeongjeon: the throne hall where the king received his officials. Seen from Sungjeongmun, it looks like a smaller version of Geunjeongjeon at Gyeongbokgung.
• Jajeongjeon and Taeryeongjeon: behind the throne hall. Behind Taeryeongjeon are an oddly shaped rock called Seoam and a spring called Amcheon.
• Air-raid shelter: a shelter built east of Sungjeongjeon at the end of Japanese rule still survives and shows what the palace went through.

Tripto tips

• Opening hours: 09:00–18:00, closed on Mondays (except public holidays) and on 1 January, admission free.
• Getting there: walk from exit 7 of Gwanghwamun station or exit 4 of Seodaemun station (both Line 5).
• Combine with: the Seoul Museum of History next door, also free and closed on Mondays.
• Time and season: 45 minutes to 1.5 hours. In late autumn the leaves between Heunghwamun and Sungjeongjeon are especially beautiful.