With the loud sound of drums, the royal percussion band enters the plaza in front of Hongrye Gate behind Gwanghwamun in downtown Seoul at every hour between 10AM and 3PM.

Following the band with the ear-splitting sound of horns are fourteen royal guards dressed in their red official attire. This is the changing-of-the-guard ceremony for the greatest palace of the Joseon Dynasty. Just as the similar ceremony at London’s Buckingham Palace has become a major tourist attraction, the changing-of-the-guard at Gyeongbok Palace now enjoys the reputation as a famed specialty of Seoul. Today we’ll visit Gyeongbok Palace, the largest of all the Joseon Dynasty palaces where the spirits of kings live on.

Gyeongbok Palace was built in 1395 by King Taejo, the first king of the Joseon Dynasty. Mt. Bukak stands tall behind the palace and the road stretching in front of its main gate Gwanghwamun, what is now called Sejong-no, was the main artery of Hanyang, the old name for Seoul. Here’s cultural guide Jeon Jin-ju.

After choosing Hanyang or Seoul as Joseon’s capital, King Taejo hunted around for the best place to build his palace. Gyeongbok Palace was built at the center of the most auspicious location, and it’s meaningful in that it was where the splendid culture of the Joseon Dynasty blossomed.

Gyeongbok Palace represented the establishment of the Joseon Dynasty. But the main royal residence saw many hardships during its 500-year history.

During the 1592 Japanese invasion all the buildings inside the palace compound were burned down. The palace ground was left bare for about 273 years before King Gojong’s father renovated the palace to mark his son’s crowning and strengthen the monarchy. But the palace structures were once again damaged during the Japanese colonial reign and we can hardly imagine what they looked like originally during the Joseon period.

Some 330 buildings that filled the palace compound were destroyed during the 1592 Japanese invasion and the Japanese occupation in the early 20th century. Nonetheless, Gyeongbok Palace still remains the heart of Seoul and Joseon’s greatest palace. This is why the palace is a must-see tourist destination in Korea. Here’s cultural guide Jeon Jin-ju again.

Capital cities and palaces make great tourist attractions, because that’s where people can best see the history and politics of a country. The best architects and artists of the time were involved in making the palace buildings the most magnificent ones. In Seoul that place is Gyeongbok Palace. That’s why so many tourists visit Gyeongbok Palace.

Convenient and free guide is provided during the palace tour. The service provided in Korean, English, Japanese, and Chinese. Foreign tourists are all ears as they follow the tour guide around the majestic buildings.

The tour of Gyeongbok Palace starts at Geunjeongjeon, where royal ceremonies were held. Here’s cultural guide Jeon Jin-ju to explain more.

Geunjeongjeon is where royal ceremonies and rites were held by the kings. For instance, the coronation, royal wedding, and the installation ceremony of the Crown Prince took place here. Also this is where all the court officials were granted audiences with the king and held government meetings.

Geunjeongmun is the main gate which leads to Geunjeongjeon. Where only the king’s sedan chair is allowed, the steps leading up to the Geunjeongjeon from Geunjeongmun are decorated with the engravings of phoenix. The vast courtyard in front of Geunjeongjeon is where officials would line up according to their ranks. Representing the monarchy and the nation, National Treasure No. 223 Geungjeongjeon features engraved stones on the floor and is open to the second floor, and the king’s throne is place at the center of the north wall. Foreigners are amazed at the architectural beauty of this kingly structure.

They think the architectural style of this building is very unique. Western buildings are constructed with nails and brick and mortal. But Korean buildings are built without nails and lumber pieces are inserted into grooves and stacked on top of one another. Many foreign tourists are amazed at the science and technology employed in building these buildings.

Sajeongjeon is the royal office where the king took care of state affairs. It’s also where government officials held morning meetings with the king every day. The king had to read Confucian books three times a day and apply what he learned to resolve real issues.

The king’s office, Sajeongjeon, is located behind Geungjeongjeon. Nowadays a reenactment of the morning meeting takes place at 11 o’clock every day. Visitors even get to play the roles of the king and his vassals at the Sajeongjeon.

Enter through Hyango Gate of Sajeongjeon and you’ll see Gangnyeongjeon, the king’s private quarters. The king slept and lived in this vast building facing south. Here’s cultural guide Jeon Jin-ju to explain more about this special building.

Gangnyeong means health, which is one of five blessings – longevity, enough wealth as not to covet that of others, health, compassion for others, and peaceful death. The most cherished among them was health, so the king’s living and sleeping quarters were named the hall of well-being, Gangnyeongjeon, to wish him good health.

To the north of Gangnyeongjeon stands the queen’s private quarters, Gyotaejeon. Gyotaejeon means the balance of ying and yang, the basis for bearing many children. The most attractive spot in Gyotaejeon is its garden.

Called Amisan, the queen’s garden formed on an artificial mound features various flowering plants and stone carvings fashioned after a beautiful landscape. Its four hexagonal chimneys were registered as Korea’s Treasure No. 811 for their elaborate beauty.

Now let’s visit Gyeonghoeru, the ultimate in architectural aesthetics of the Joseon era. Designated National Treasure No. 224, Gyeonghoeru is a pavilion located on the pond west of Gangnyeongjeon. This banquet hall is where the king held parties for government officials or state banquet for foreign dignitaries.

The pavilion was built on an artificial lake. It was used to hold important banquets or parties for foreign ambassadors or close family members. Also, in times of drought it was used as a venue for rain-calling ceremony. The structure mainly served official functions.

Gyeonghoeru measures 931 square meters in area, the largest pavilion in Korea in terms of surface area. The lower level is empty except for 48 stone pillars. The upper level has hardwood floors, so the place can be used for banquets. However, some parts of the wooden floor are elevated, so people were seated according to their ranking. From Gyeonghoeru visitors can take in the entire majestic view of Mt. Inwang and the palace. The sight is so spectacular that they can’t resist taking pictures.

Visitors can also have a very special experience at Gyeongheoru. Here’s Mr. Kim Hyun-sung of the Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation to explain what that is.

The program is called “a walk through the royal palace.” Visitors can see for themselves what it was like living in the palace by following the king, the queen, and their entourage through the palace. They start at Gyeonghoeru, then stop by at Hyangwonjeong to take photos, and return back to Gyeonghoeru. It’s a great program for foreigners, because they get to dress up and put on special makeup, too.

Now visitors walk toward Geoncheongung located in the deepest, the most secluded part of Gyeongbok Palace. Geongcheongung was a private residence built to give the royal couple a chance to escape from the busy life of running a country. However, it is also the place of atrocious tragedy, the assassination of Empress Myeongseong.

Geongcheongung was where Empress Myeongseong was brutally murdered by Japanese assassins on October 8, 1895. Thereafter, King Gojong felt that his safety was not guaranteed and moved to the Russian Consulate for a while to escape Japanese threat. And then he moved to Gyeongwungung, which is Deoksu Palace of today, in 1896. Geoncheongung was closed down and demolished by the Japanese colonial government. It’s a very tragic place.

The tour of Gyeongbok Palace ends at Geoncheongung and its fragrant garden Hyangwonjeong. So how was the tour of Joseon’s greatest palace?

- I’m from India. I’ve been here before, but it feels new every time. The ondol heating system was very unique, and I love every little space. But the best part is Geunjeongjeon. Gyeonghoeru is also beautiful with the water surrounding the pavilion. My children want to come back.
- My first impression was that it’s huge. I never thought that Korean palaces can be this magnificent. When I saw Tiananmen in China, my only thought was that it was just enormous. But Gyeongbok Palace is big, but it’s also abudant with Korean sentiments, and delicate and careful touches everywhere.
- I’ve been to China and the Versailles before coming to Gyeongbok Palace. Even after traveling to other places, I’m still very impressed by this palace. I can feel the unique 5,000-year history of Korea. I wish my children would grow up appreciating the fact that he was born in a small, but a really treat country.

An old saying refers to the royal palace as a deep place beyond nine gates. The king of Joseon used to live hidden from the public eye behind nine gates. But now the palace has been opened for everyone to see and experience the king’s life hundreds of years ago. How about taking a leisurely stroll around the pond beneath Gyeonghoeru or the flower-filled garden Hyangwonjeong to feel like the king for a day?