Deoksugung Palace (덕수궁)

330.1263628394301m 417764 2022-12-14

99, Sejong-daero, Jung-gu, Seoul
+82-2-771-9951

Registered as Historic Site No. 124, Deoksugung Palace was initially not a royal palace, but a residential home of Grand Prince Wolsan (1454-1488), the older brother of King Seongjong (1469-1494) of the Joseon dynasty. It wasn't until 1593 that the palace was used as a temporary palace of the royal family after their home was burned down during the Imjin War. King Seonjo also stayed at Deoksugung Palace after returning to the city. It became a proper palace when Gwanghaegun (1575-1641) ascended to the throne and gave this royal residence the name Gyeongungung Palace in 1611. Over the following decades, the palace alternated between being an official palace and a temporary residence. The name did not change officially to Deoksugung Palace, meaning the “palace of virtuous longevity,” until 1907. While the palace once encompassed a vast area with many buildings, the current palace grounds are just a small shadow of the prior splendor, with very few structures remaining.

Namdaemun Market Mungu (Stationery) Street (남대문 문구상가)

330.16871112365834m 14077 2020-04-21

6-2, Namdaemun-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul
+82-2-753-2805

Also called Mungu (Stationery) Street, Mungu Shopping Center is home to colorful stationery, toys, and wrapping materials. Because of its colorful items, the center has attracted many tourists and producers interested in stationery and toys. A slew of camera shops on the outskirts of the center offer camera lenses and camera items not readily available elsewhere, attracting both amateur and professional photographers from Korean and abroad.

Deoksugung Palace's Daehanmun Gate (덕수궁 대한문)

330.1263628394301m 38029 2024-03-06

99, Sejong-daero, Jung-gu, Seoul
+82-2-771-9951

Located near City Hall station, Daehanmun Gate is the main gate of Deoksugung Palace, one of the princiapl five palaces of Joseon Dynasty. The name "Daehan" means wish for eternal prosperity of the Korean Empire. In front of the gate, the Palace Royal Guard Changing Ceremony is held twice daily, along with the reproduction of costumes and style throughout the year.

Namdaemun Ginseng Market (남대문인삼시장)

337.9066605485645m 45219 2021-06-09

25-8, Namdaemunsijang-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul
+82-2-752-1012

Namdaemun Ginseng Market is found along the central path of Namdaemun Market located on Namdaemun-ro.There are approximately 20 shops standing close together in the market, with seven other ginseng shops in a ginseng distributor center located on the second floor of Namdaemun Theatre building. Here, visitors can purchase quality ginseng at a 20~30% lower price than the regular consumer price.

Visitors can also purchase fresh ginseng and other processed products such as ginseng tea and powder, as well as a variety of oriental health foods including: red ginseng, honey, Yeongji mushrooms, traditional teas, brown rice and adlay.

Seoul Street Art Festival (서울거리예술축제)

344.46412432921727m 53534 2023-09-11

12, Eulji-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul
+82-2-3437-6455

Seoul Street Art Festival is held throughout Seoul and introduces high quality street performances.

Regal Optical [Tax Refund Shop] (리갈안경)

353.46052438670483m 0 2024-04-19

Store #123, Section Ra-3 of Myeongdong Underground Shopping Center, 2, Namdaemun-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul

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Crystal Optic [Tax Refund Shop] (크리스탈안경)

366.6284546671806m 0 2024-04-23

1F, 6, Namdaemunsijang 4-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul

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Tonymoly - Namdaemun Branch [Tax Refund Shop] (토니모리 남대문점)

367.9717100154857m 0 2024-04-22

12, Namdaemunsijang-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul

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Hwangudan Altar (환구단)

368.040559098678m 16286 2020-05-07

112, Sogong-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul
+82-2-3396-5842

Hwangudan Altar, also called Hwandan Altar, refers to an altar complex for the rite of heaven. The rites were first performed in the Goryeo dynasty by King Seongjong in the first month of 983 (2nd year of his reign), but was repeatedly adopted and abolished, and eventually stopped at the start of the Joseon dynasty.

Then in 1456 (2nd year of King Sejo), the practice was temporarily standardized and the rites were performed at Hwangudan Altar again in 1457. However, rites were again abolished in 1464 (10th year of King Sejo). It wasn’t until 1897 (34th year of King Gojong) when the Joseon dynasty was renamed as the Korean Empire and King Gojong ascended to emperor, that the rite was revived.

Now, Hwangungu Shrine and three stone drums stand at the location of the former altar complex. The three stone drums symbolize the instruments used for the rites. The shrine was completed in 1899, two years after the altar was started in 1897. Today, the Hwangungu Shrine still stands within the hotel grounds of the Westin Chosun Hotel.

Sungnyemun Gate Guard Ceremony & Experience (숭례문 파수의식 / 원데이! 파수군)

374.44737283935217m 0 2024-03-12

40 Sejong-daero, Jung-gu, Seoul
010-2802-2133

The Sungnyemun Gate Guard Ceremony is a reenactment of the changing of the guards who protected the fortress walls around the capital city during the Joseon dynasty. During this change, the gates would be opened for the off-duty guards to go out and replace those finishing their shift of walking along the walls.

Deoksugung Palace (덕수궁) - Area information - Korea travel information