Changdeokgung/창덕궁/昌德宮
http://www.visitseoul.net/changdeokgung- admission: W3,000
- English language tours: 11:30, 13:30, 15:30 (except Thursdays)
- subway: Line #3 (orange) to Anguk Station/안국역, exit #3 (five minute walk); Lines #1, #3, #5 (dark blue, orange, purple) to Jongno-3ga Station/종로3가역, exit #6 (ten minute walk)
The reason for posting the times for the English language tours, as you might suspect, is that most people that would stumble upon this and read this would be using English as their language of choice. There are other tour options, of course, such as a Korean or Japanese language tour. There are also Chinese tours.
However, the best option is Thursday, the day with
no tours. Why would this be best? Because for a mere W15,000, the visitor that has gone to Changdeokgung on this day is granted a self-guided tour. More of the palace grounds are available to be seen, including more of the Secret Garden, it is less crowded, and there is a traditional music (국악) concert performed at two times each day. I happened upon the 16:00 concert.
Those new to Seoul, though, may be reading this thinking, "What is a
Changdeokgung?" Please allow me to enlighten you.
Changdeokgung is a UNESCO world heritage site, and has been since December 1997, due to it's being an, "outstanding example of Far Eastern palace architecture and garden design". As such, all visitors are required to join a guided tour which takes approximately one hour and twenty minutes. A "self-guided" tour is available on Thursdays from 09:15 until 18:30 from April to November for W15,000. These tours include an audio guide. I suppose that you would have to ask for the audio guide explicity, though, as I didn't and as such didn't have one to listen to. Thankfully, I've been to this palace on numerous occassions.
Changdeokgung/창덕궁/昌德宮 is also known as the "Palace of Prospering Virtue" (or the "Palace of Illustrious Virtue" in the current
Lonely Planet Seoul city guide) and the East Palace. It was first built in 1405, in the fifth year of King Taejong of the Joseon Dynasty, and completed about seven years later in 1412. It was the second palace to be built, following Gyeongbokgung. After the Imjin Invasion by the Japanese (1592 - 1598), the site of Gyeongbokgung was considered to be ill-omened and King Gwanghaegun (1608 - 1623) rebuilt Changdeokgung. Although there was an incidence of arson at the palace in 1623 during Injo's revolt against Gwanghaegun, Chandeokgung served as the seat of government from 1610 until 1872, largely due to Gyeongbokgung having been burnt down and not rebuilt until King Gojong, in the late 1800s.
The main draw of the palace, however, is the "Secret Garden" or Biwon/비원. The rear garden was built during the reign of King Taejong (1400–1418), and was used by royal family members as a place of relaxation. It wasn't named Biwon until the time of the last real Joseon monarch, King Gojong (1863 - 1897). The garden was kept as natural as possible, and human hands were only used when absolutely necessary. Perhaps this is why UNESCO lauds it as having, "buildings integrated into and harmonized with the natural setting" and for, "adapting to topography [while] retaining indigenous tree cover". What makes the self-guided tour so appealing is that areas such as Ongnyucheon/옥류천, where the Joseon kings composed
sijo poetry and played with planting rice, are only available to be seen on these Thursdays.
The best and most beautiful time to visit both Changdeokgung and the Secret Garden is in early autumn, when the foliage just begins to turn colors and to fall, but it's not yet too cold. For smaller groups on the tours, Saturdays are best avoided. The tours are still a fine way to see the palace, and the palace
should be seen, but the best way would be to make it there on a Thursday before 16:30, as that's the last entrance.
Overall, it was a great way to spend a Thursday afternoon off, even if it was a bit pricier than what I would pay on my normal Thursday schedule. I do feel as though I got my money's worth thanks largely to the concert that was being performed, and I would recommend trying to schedule a visit around those times. The goal of relaxing after reigning in crazy Korean kindergarteners all morning was most definitely achieved.
Now, I just need to think about what to do tomorrow...
