Gyeonghuigung Palace
경희궁
Free, rarely crowded, and small enough to see properly in half an hour — the palace to add when the ticketed ones are full or already closed for the day.
Language
Place information
- Korean name
- 경희궁
- Address
- 45 Saemunan-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
- Opening hours
- 09:00–18:00
- Closed
- Every Mon · Jan 1
- Time needed
- 30 min
- Admission
- Free
- Operated by
- Seoul Museum of History · Jongno-gu Office, Seoul
Prices
| Admission | Free |
|---|
Source: Korea Tourism Organization — Gyeonghuigung visitor information and history ·
History
Gyeonghuigung was known as the Western Palace for its position in the city. It received the name Gyeongdeokgung in 1616, under Gwanghaegun, and was renamed Gyeonghuigung in 1760. A major fire in 1829 destroyed most of its structures.
What happened afterwards is why so little of it stands today. Under Japanese occupation the remaining buildings were demolished and the grounds were turned into Gyeongseong Middle School, later Seoul High School. The school occupied the site until it relocated to Gangnam in 1987, after which the grounds became a park. Two buildings were reconstructed by November 1994: the main gate Heunghwamun and the ceremonial hall Sungjeongjeon.
Knowing that sequence changes how the site reads. The wide empty courtyard is not a design choice — it is the footprint of everything that is missing.
1616
Named Gyeongdeokgung
The Western Palace receives its first formal name under Gwanghaegun.
1760
Renamed Gyeonghuigung
The name it still carries.
1829
Fire
A major fire destroys most of the palace structures.
Colonial period
Demolished
The remaining buildings are torn down and the grounds become Gyeongseong Middle School, later Seoul High School.
1987
The school leaves
Seoul High School relocates to Gangnam and the site becomes a park.
1994
Two buildings back
Heunghwamun and Sungjeongjeon are reconstructed by November.
Korea Tourism Organization — Gyeonghuigung visitor information and history ·
Filmed here
Kingdom(킹덤)K-drama
Sungjeongjeon Hall, standing in as Gangnyeongjeon — the zombie king's dwelling.
Accessibility and facilities
Parking and restrooms are provided on site. The grounds are largely flat open space, which makes them straightforward to cross, though the reconstructed hall sits at the top of a stone-stepped platform in the usual palace fashion.
Korea Tourism Organization — Gyeonghuigung visitor information and history ·
Nearby
Frequently asked questions
Is it worth visiting if I only have time for one palace?
No — choose Gyeongbokgung or Changdeokgung for a single visit. Gyeonghuigung is worth adding when you have a spare half hour or when another palace is closed.
Stories about this place
- Kingdom Filming Locations in Korea — Seoul and Mungyeong
Where Netflix's Kingdom shot its Joseon palace, scene by scene. The drama's single palace was really four separate sites in Seoul that fit into one day — plus the Mungyeongsaejae open set, which does not.
- Seoul's Five Palaces Compared: Admission, Closing Days, Hours, History
Seoul's five palaces compared on what you see, what kind of palace each is and how long it takes, with admission, closing days and hours alongside — plus where to switch when the weekday is wrong, and when and why each palace came to be.
