Tourists enjoying the view on the second floor of Gyeonghoeru Pavilion at Gyeongbok Palace in Seoul. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, Mar. 25 (Korea Bizwire) — Two structures of the royal Gyeongbok Palace in downtown Seoul will open to the public next month for a seven-month run, the Cultural Heritage Administration said Monday.
“Public access to the inside of Gyeonghoeru and Jibokje will be available between April 1 and Oct. 31,” the agency said.
Gyeonghoeru Pavilion, built on a man-made pond in the palace, is the place where the kings of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) threw parties.
Visitors can enter the two-story pavilion only at specific times and with tour guides — at 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. on weekdays and 10:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. on the weekend.
Only 60 locals and 10 foreigners can visit the wooden structure for about 40 minutes each time. There are no admission fees, but pre-booking is required via the palace website (www.royalpalace.go.kr).
From its second floor, the national treasure offers magnificent views of Mount Inwang, the pond and other royal structures.
Located in the northwest of the palace, Jibokje is a small library where copies of royal books are stored.
King Gojong, the last king of the kingdom, used the house to receive foreign guests.
Neither pre-booking nor tour guide is needed to look around the library between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.
(Yonhap)
Jipokje at Gyeongbok Palace in Seoul. (image: Cultural Heritage Administration)
