Tourists wearing Korean traditional clothing visit Gyejodang, a building symbolizing the royal succession of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), on Sept. 20, 2023. The facility was open to the public for the first time since the Japanese colonial government demolished it in 1910 following restoration work. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, Sept. 28 (Korea Bizwire) — Royal palaces in Seoul will be open to the public for free during an extended Chuseok holiday from Thursday to Wednesday, the cultural heritage authorities said.
Four palaces from the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) — Gyeongbok, Changdeok, Deoksu and Changgyeong — will open without a weekly break during the six-day period, according to the Cultural Heritage Administration.
Royal tombs of the dynasty, which are scattered in Seoul and surrounding cities, and Jongmyo Shrine, where Joseon-era royal ancestral tablets are enshrined, will also be free of charge during the traditional holiday.
Visitors to Gyeongbok and Deoksu palaces can explore new buildings that have been recently disclosed to the public after extensive restoration works.
Dondeokjeon, a historic Western-style building in Seoul’s Deoksu Palace used as a royal guesthouse during the Korean Empire (1897-1910), is open to the public on Sept. 25, 2023, after going through reconstruction to its original shape. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
Gyejodang, a part of Gyeongbok Palace where the Joseon crown princes attended state affairs and hosted banquets, opened to the public last week for the first time in 110 years after six years of restoration work.
Built in 1443 during King Sejong’s reign, the original Gyejodang was completely destroyed by the Japanese colonial government in around 1910.
Dondeokjeon, a historic Western-style building in Deoksu Palace used as a royal guesthouse during the Korean Empire (1897-1910), is now available for visiting after six years of restoration to its original shape.
The two-story building, known to have been first built during the reign of Emperor Gojong around 1901, was used mostly as a reception hall and a place to meet foreign guests. It was also a historic place where his son, Emperor Sunjong, took the throne in 1907.
(Yonhap)
