Five palaces, one city, centuries of history. Here's what makes each one worth visiting — and how to plan your time between them.
Gwanghwamun Gate at night. Photo: Pixabay
Why Seoul Has Five Palaces
Most capital cities have one royal palace. Seoul has five. That's not a sign of excess — it's a reflection of how the Joseon Dynasty actually worked. The king didn't always stay in one place. Different palaces served different roles: one as the main seat of government, others as secondary residences for quieter periods, emergencies, or retirement for senior royals. When fires, wars, and the Japanese colonial occupation destroyed large parts of the original structures, each palace had a different story of loss and restoration.
Today, all five are open to visitors — and each one has its own atmosphere, history, and reason to visit. If you're only in Seoul for a few days, Gyeongbokgung alone can fill an afternoon. But if you have more time, exploring beyond the main palace reveals a side of the city that most visitors walk right past.
Gyeongbokgung (경복궁) — The Grand One
Built in 1395 as the first palace of the Joseon Dynasty, Gyeongbokgung is the one most visitors picture when they think of Seoul. The name translates roughly as "Palace Greatly Blessed by Heaven." It shows. With Bugaksan mountain rising behind the complex and Gwanghwamun Gate commanding the south entrance, the scale alone makes an impression. Inside, the Geunjeongjeon throne hall and the Gyeonghoeru Pavilion — a banquet hall set on pillars over a lotus pond — are the two highlights that tend to stop people in their tracks.
The Changing of the Guard ceremony runs at 10 AM and 2 PM daily. Free English-language guided tours depart at 11 AM, 1:30 PM, and 3:30 PM from inside the main gate — no reservation needed, just show up a few minutes early. Allow at least two to three hours; the grounds are larger than they look on a map.
Gyeongbokgung is also the only palace with a dedicated night programme for foreign visitors. The general Evening Admission (야간개장) opens twice a year — spring and autumn — and while Korean residents compete fiercely online for tickets, foreign passport holders can buy same-day tickets at the Gwanghwamun ticket office from 6 PM (up to 300 tickets per day, first come first served). The premium Starlight Tour (별빛야행) is a separate experience entirely: a 110-minute guided walk through areas normally closed to the public, paired with a royal court meal and live traditional music. Tickets cost ₩60,000 and are limited to 34 people per session through a lottery system.
Admission: ₩3,000 adults, ₩1,500 children. Nearest station: Gyeongbokgung Station (Line 3, Exit 5). Closed Tuesdays.
Changdeokgung (창덕궁) — The Beautiful One
A UNESCO World Heritage Site and the preferred residence of many Joseon kings, Changdeokgung is widely considered the most beautiful of the five palaces. Built in 1405, its layout follows the natural contours of the hillside rather than imposing strict symmetry — which gives it a more organic, less formal feel than Gyeongbokgung. The palace grounds alone are worth a half-day, but the real draw is Huwon (후원), the Secret Garden.
Huwon is a 78-acre woodland garden at the rear of the palace — lotus ponds, pavilions, centuries-old trees, and a quiet that feels genuinely separate from the city beyond the walls. Access requires a separate guided tour ticket; English tours run at select times daily and do book up, so check ahead. If you can only visit one palace in depth, this is the one many locals would recommend.
Admission: ₩3,000 (palace); Huwon guided tour ₩5,000 additional. Nearest station: Anguk Station (Line 3, Exit 3). Closed Mondays.
Changgyeonggung and Deoksugung — The Quiet and the Unusual
Changgyeonggung (창경궁) sits directly adjacent to Changdeokgung and is connected by an internal gate — making the two a natural same-day combination. Built in 1484 by King Seongjong as a residence for retired royal family members, it has a gentler atmosphere than its neighbours, with fewer large ceremonial halls and more space to simply walk. It tends to be quieter than the other palaces, which is part of the appeal.
Deoksugung (덕수궁), across from City Hall, is the most architecturally distinctive of the five. Within the same compound, traditional Korean palace halls stand alongside Seokjojeon — a Western-style neoclassical stone building that looks like it was lifted from Europe and set down in the middle of Seoul. It was built during the reign of King Gojong in the late 19th and early 20th century, a period of enormous political upheaval, and that history gives Deoksugung a different emotional weight from the other four. The Changing of the Guard here runs at 11 AM, 2 PM, and 3:30 PM (except Mondays), and the palace stays open until 9 PM year-round — one of the better options for an evening visit without needing a reservation.
The Stone Wall Road (덕수궁 돌담길) running alongside the palace is one of Seoul's most atmospheric walks, covered in more detail in our First Time in Seoul guide.
Changgyeonggung admission: ₩1,000. Closed Mondays. Deoksugung admission: ₩1,000. Closed Mondays. Nearest station for both: City Hall Station (Line 1 or 2).
Gyeonghuigung (경희궁) — The Hidden One
The smallest and least visited of the five, Gyeonghuigung sits slightly west of the others — which is how it earned its old nickname, the Western Palace (서궐). Built in 1617 during the reign of King Gwanghaegun on the site of a royal relative's former estate, it served as a secondary palace for roughly ten Joseon kings. King Injo spent nearly half his reign here.
At its peak, the complex held over 100 buildings. Most were dismantled during the Japanese colonial period — materials were taken to rebuild Gyeongbokgung, and the site was later converted into a school for Japanese residents. Restoration began in 1980, and the palace reopened in 2002, but what you see today is significantly smaller than the original. That's not a reason to skip it. Entry is free, the grounds are calm, and the Seoul Museum of History (서울역사박물관) sits right alongside — which makes this an easy and worthwhile stop if you're already near Gwanghwamun. The Seoam Rock behind Taeryeongjeon Hall is a quietly interesting detail.
Admission: Free. Open daily. Nearest station: Gwanghwamun Station (Line 5, Exit 7).
Practical Tips for Visiting All Five
For pacing, Gyeongbokgung and Changdeokgung sit about 15 minutes apart on foot and make a natural pair — add Changgyeonggung on the same day if energy allows, as it connects directly to Changdeokgung via an internal gate. Deoksugung and Gyeonghuigung are both near City Hall and Gwanghwamun, making them a natural second-day combination. Attempting all five in a single day is technically possible but rushed; two days is far more comfortable.
Free English-guided tours are available at Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Deoksugung, and Changgyeonggung — no reservation required, just show up at the tour start time listed on each palace's official page. If you're looking to dig deeper into Seoul's history before or after a palace visit, the Gyeongbokgung guide on this blog covers that palace in more detail.