Amazing Deoksugung Palace

Deoksugung Palace (덕수궁)

Deoksugung Palace is one of the favorites among visitors. It's located is very easy to access - just take Exit 2 from City Hall subway station.

It was a great and fine summer time last year, when we visited this palace. I know I've been there before and for quite some time have never visited it again. Personally, I like Gyeongbokgung Palace, which is located less than a kilometer from Deoksugung Palace. Probably because Gyeongbokgung is more expansive and splendid?

Anyway, here are some descriptions of our subject here...

Among the Famous Five of Seoul's palaces, Deoksugung is the last one to be built and became the seat of power when the Japanese destroyed Gyeongbokgung in 1592. King Gojong also used this palace after he fled when his wife got assassinated in 1895.

Compared to other palaces in Seoul, Deoksugung (덕수궁) is not so splendid but very historical and important political place of the nation's development. You will notice that much taller buildings, such as business complex, the new City Hall, and hotels among other structures surround this ancient national treasure.

Inside the palace, you can enjoy art pieces at the National Museum for Contemporary Art (W3000) most of which are masterpieces  by Korean artists. The steps of this museum is a favorite photo-spot among for graduating students for this album. You can see them usually in June who are all dressed up and excited about everything--parties and celebrations.

Yup, I have seen the exhibition of famous Korean painters and artists. By looking at their pieces (master pieces) as if you can feel and get to know the artists as they painted their own experiences and feelings through their arts.

It will take around forty minutes to quickly look at the exhibits, but if you really want to study them more carefully make sure you are prepared to do so. I really enjoyed the exhibitions and felt it's worth my time. The exhibitions are regularly changed depending on the availability and cost of holding art pieces. 

Buildings Inside Deoksugung Palace (덕수궁)

Within the walls of this historic place, you will find structures that were used by royals, servants, visitors and soldiers during those period. These structures include gates, bell pavilion, quarters, meeting halls, foreign designed building, among other structures you can observe.

The following photos describe

Hamnyeongjeon (함녕전)

In 1864-1907, Hamnyeongjeon served as the sleeping quarter of King Gojong. And this is the place where he died in 1919. This is a royal sleeping quarter with the traditional heating system on the floor called ondol. This heating system is still being used in most houses, apartments, and almost all buildings in Korea. Before, they use coal briquettes but now they are using gas to heat the water contained in the pipes under the floors.

Hamnyeongjeon is built with a terraced rear garden where the king received his officials and foreign visitors. The building got destroyed by fire in 1904 but was restored sometime in that same year.

Jeonggwangheon (정환헌)

This particular building looks quite unique and different compared with most structures inside the palace, that's exactly because it is built with a foreign design, Romanesque style, by a Russian architect named A. I. Sabatin.

The building is being surrounded by outer rows of covered colonnades and the wooden verandas were built facing the east, south, and west. The top of the columns are decorated with traditional Korean symbols such as the blue and golden-colored dragons, flower bases, and bats. Foreign delegates and envoys used to spend their time and hold banquets in this building. Even King Gojong is known to have enjoyed his coffee with the presence of foreign visitors.

 

Other Interesting Places Nearby

Opposite of Deoksugung is a unique place. I can it unique because you can, obviously, both the old and the new City Hall buildings. Of course, only the new own functions as government's office while the old one turned into a metropolitan library. You will enjoy the wide and spacious plaza of the city hall with green grass during summer time.

Inside the new and modern style Seoul City Hall building you can find various cultural events and exhibitions. Paintings, art pieces, wedding venue, coffee shop, meeting area, internet, etc are available inside the building.

 Then, coming out from Deoksugung Palace and turning left, a road will lead you to the modern Seoul Museum of Arts. The area where this museum is located could be quite crowded before and after lunch time because most office workers, among others, would take a stroll after their sumptuous meal with their right (or left) hands holding drinks (coffee latte or americano?).

Further up the road, Jeong-dong Road, you will find the famous Chongdong Theater where you can watch traditional Korean performances for a fee. In addition, in the underground of City Hall station, you can find an array of shopping arcades.

 More Information:

Address: 57, Namdaemun-ro 1-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul
Phone: +82-2-771-9951 (English, Korean, Japanese, Chinese speakers)
Website: www.deoksugung.go.kr (Korean & English)

Tour Guide in English:
10:30am on weekdays and 1.40 on weekends.

Operation Hours (closed on Mondays):
09:00am to 21:00pm