The DMZ
The main attraction of the South Korean capital is its five Royal Palaces with long and difficult to pronounce names: Gyeongbokgung, Deoksugung, Changdeokgung, Changgyeonggung, and Gyeonghuigung. All palaces were built in the same style and belong to the same period of the 1300s – 1500s. Most of the palace buildings were destroyed by the Japanese who did it twice. The first time it happened when Japan invaded Korea in the 16th century, the second time during the World War II. The wooden structures also burned many times. As the result, there is little left of the original buildings.
For some reason, Koreans did not start restorations until 1990. In the beginning, most of restoration was done improperly. For example, parts of several buildings were used to reconstruct another. They were transported to a different site and damaged in the process. The restoration works continue to this day but now they are done based on research and with utmost care.
If you do not have much time in Seoul it is enough to see one or two palaces. Some palaces are grander than the other. However, they are quite similar. So seeing the largest complex Changdeokgung gives you a good idea of how Korean royal palaces look like. For those who intend to visit all five and Jongmyo Shrine, it saves money and time to buy a combo ticket that gives access to all of them.
It is not possible to enter any of the palace buildings. Visitors can only view the rooms from outside. The only exception is the library where tourists can even sit down and leaf through the books.
The roofs of important buildings are decorated with small animal-shaped figurines called Japsang. Their purpose is to protect the house from evil spirits that attack from the sky. The more Japsang on the roof the better protection is. Naturally, royal palaces have a good number of these figurines that can be dragons, phoenixes, lions, giraffes, sea horses, and monkeys.
In the corner of Changdeokgung, there is a special place, the Secret Garden. It was designed for the members of the royal family to relax in it. The Secret Garden does not have any sleeping quarters. It was the place where the royals painted, composed poetry or planted their favorite flowers. When our guide mentioned flowers I noticed that the Secret Garden did not have any. I asked her about that. The guide sounding offended replied that I visited the garden during a wrong season. Next time, I should come in spring to fully enjoy it.
Admission to the Secret Garden is not included in the ticket to Changdeokgung Palace; the Garden can only be visited with the guide during scheduled tours.
I was surprised to see how many visitors wore the hanbok, traditional Korean attire. Then, I learned that admission is free for those who wear the hanbok. What an excellent idea! Although the palace tickets are really cheap, from $3 to $5, Koreans (and some foreigners too) prefer to put on these beautiful costumes. It certainly makes seeing the palaces more fun and enjoyment. A hanbok can be rented for a day, no need to buy it.
The last royal monument that I visited was Jongmyo, or the Royal Ancestral Shrine of the Joseon Dynasty, where mortuary tablets of Joseon kings and queens are enshrined. It is also the place for seasonal rites that are held to honor the deceased royals. I hoped to see the actual tablets but they are kept inside long buildings.
The Shrine is situated in a large park, same as the palaces. While I went from one structure to another, a staff member stopped me and told to go to the Main Hall where they were having a performance. I rushed through the park to see it. The performance was a reenactment of the ceremony when the Crown Princess of Joseon Dynasty was reporting her marriage to the spirits of her deceased royal ancestors. It was beautifully staged. I was glad to sit down and watch it giving my tired legs a break. They did a lot of walking that day!