3 East Seoul Palaces Guide: Changdeokgung, Changgyeonggung, Jongmyo

Hello, travelers!

My university was near Changgyeonggung. Which means for four years, this was the palace I walked past after class, slipped into when I needed a break, and came back to on weekends with friends for the night opening events. I know this area the way you know a neighborhood — not as a tourist, but as someone who has spent a lot of ordinary time here.

That’s the thing about the eastern palaces. They don’t demand your attention the way Gyeongbokgung does. They just quietly exist, and you find yourself coming back.

This guide covers three sites that sit side by side: Changdeokgung (창덕궁), Changgyeonggung (창경궁), and Jongmyo Shrine (종묘). You can walk between all three in a single day. There are also seasonal light and laser shows near Changdeokgung that draw crowds for good reason — more on that in the sections below.

If the western palaces show you the height of Joseon power, the eastern cluster shows you something more personal. The forested gardens. The greenhouse that somehow feels more moving than it should. The solemn silence of Jongmyo that stays with you longer than you expect.

Quick Comparison of the 3 Seoul Palaces Guide

This section of the Seoul palaces guide helps you choose quickly at a glance.

Changdeokgung — UNESCO World Heritage & Korea’s Most Natural Palace

Changdeokgung was built in 1405 as a secondary palace to Gyeongbokgung, but history had other plans. After the Japanese invasions of 1592 destroyed most of Seoul’s palaces, Changdeokgung was the first to be rebuilt — and for the next 270 years, until Gyeongbokgung was restored in 1867, it served as the actual seat of royal power. Most of Joseon’s kings lived and governed from here.

The palace shares its grounds with Changgyeonggung — together they were known as Donggwol, the Eastern Palace. In 1910, the annexation of Korea was decided in Heungbokheon Hall, one of the buildings within the complex. After liberation, the last members of the imperial family lived out their final years in the Nakseonjae quarters. History here is not distant. It’s in the buildings.

Changdeokgung was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997 — recognized not just for its architecture, but for the way it was built around the natural landscape rather than imposed upon it. I’ve been here in every season. Summer is when the garden feels most alive — everything intensely green, the air thick. Autumn is harder to describe. The foliage around Huwon is the kind of thing you photograph and then realize the photo doesn’t quite capture it. You just have to go.

What to see

Huwon (후원) — The Secret Garden

The rear garden, and the reason most people come. First laid out in 1406 and expanded over centuries — pavilions, ponds, lotus flowers, centuries-old trees. It preserves the natural hillside landscape that the royal family used for rest and reflection. Reservation-only with timed entry; book in advance at the official reservation site.

Nakseonjae (낙선재)

The quarters where the last members of the Korean imperial family lived after liberation — Empress Sunjeong, Princess Deokhye, and Crown Princess Lee Bangja. They passed away here. It’s a quieter part of the palace, and knowing the history changes how it feels.

Changdeokgung Moonlight Tour (달빛기행)

A nighttime guided tour through the palace and Huwon. Traditional music, lantern light, the garden after dark. Runs in spring and autumn — but getting a ticket isn’t easy. Entry is by lottery, not first-come-first-served. Applications open for about a week in advance through Ticketlink, and spots are drawn randomly. KRW 30,000 per person, up to 2 tickets per ID if selected.

That said, for first-time visitors, the daytime experience is actually the better one. The architecture, the garden, the seasonal colors — all of it reads more clearly in natural light. If you want a guided experience, guided walking tours that cover Changdeokgung are easy to find on Klook, Viator, or whatever tour booking platform you normally use.

Visiting tips

Plan for 2 to 3 hours including Huwon. Huwon requires a separate reservation and timed entry. The Moonlight Tour is a separate ticketed event — check availability early. Changdeokgung is typically closed on Mondays.

Who will enjoy it most

Travelers who love nature and gardens. Anyone visiting in autumn — the foliage here is among the best in Seoul. People who want a quieter, more layered palace experience than Gyeongbokgung.

How to Get There

Changgyeonggung — The Palace With a Greenhouse

Changgyeonggung was originally built in 1483 by King Seongjong — not as a ceremonial palace, but as a living space for three queen dowagers who needed their own residence within the palace grounds. It was always more personal than grand. That quality has never quite left it.

During the Japanese colonial period, the palace was turned into a public zoo and botanical garden, and its name was downgraded from “gung” (palace) to “won” (garden) — a deliberate act of erasure. The zoo wasn’t removed until 1983, when the palace was finally restored to its original name and function.

I spent four years at university near here. Which means I’ve walked through Changgyeonggung after exams, on quiet weekday afternoons, and on warm evenings with friends during the night opening events. It’s the palace I know the way you know a neighborhood. It’s also, I think, the most underrated of the Seoul palaces. People walk past it on the way to Changdeokgung. That’s a mistake.

What to see

Honghwamun Gate & Okcheongyo Bridge (홍화문 & 옥천교)

The main entrance. Just past the gate, next to the stone bridge, there’s a red plum blossom tree. In early spring, before the crowds arrive, it’s one of the most quietly beautiful things in Seoul. It only blooms for a few weeks. Worth timing your visit around.

Daeonshil — The Grand Greenhouse (대온실)

Built in 1909, Korea’s first Western-style greenhouse — glass and iron, restored to its original design. Every time I walk in, I think about whoever came up with the idea to build this here, in the middle of a Joseon palace. It still surprises me.

Mulmitgyeonhwa (물빛연화) — Night Media Art

A nighttime media art event centered on Chundangji Pond — light installations, projections, and illuminated paths across 8 themed zones. The pond at night, with light reflected on the water, looks completely different from anything you’d see during the day.

The event runs twice a year — spring (around late April to early May) and autumn (typically mid-September to early November). Exact dates are announced a few months in advance, so search “창경궁 물빛연화” to find the latest schedule before your visit. No reservation needed for general entry; just buy a ticket at the gate (KRW 1,000). See what it looks like here.

Visiting tips

Around 1 to 1.5 hours is enough for a daytime visit. Located right next to Changdeokgung — the two pair naturally in one day. Night opening runs until 21:00; if you’re visiting in spring or autumn, staying into the evening is worth it. Changgyeonggung is typically closed on Mondays.

Who will enjoy it most

Anyone visiting in early spring — the red plum blossom near the entrance is worth timing your trip around. Travelers who want something quieter and less visited than the main palaces. People who appreciate unexpected details — the greenhouse alone is reason enough to come.

How to Get There

Jongmyo Shrine — UNESCO World Heritage & Korea’s Most Sacred Royal Site

Jongmyo is not a palace. It’s a shrine — the place where the spirit tablets of Joseon’s kings, queens, emperors, and empresses were kept and honored. Built in 1395, the same year as Gyeongbokgung, it has stood at the heart of the old capital for over 600 years.

The main hall, Jeongjeon, is 19 chambers long — each one dedicated to a specific king and queen. It’s considered the world’s longest wooden structure of its kind, and it was expanded multiple times over the centuries as more royal spirit tablets needed to be enshrined. The auxiliary hall, Yeongnyeongjeon, holds 16 more chambers. The sheer length of the building, and the silence inside it, is unlike anything else in Seoul.

Jongmyo was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995. In 2001, the Jongmyo Jerye — the royal ancestral ritual performed here — and its accompanying music were separately inscribed as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. The ritual is still performed today, on the first Sunday of May each year.

What to see

Jeongjeon (정전)

The main hall. 19 spirit chambers in a single unbroken wooden structure. The proportions are severe and intentional — this is a space built for solemnity, not display. Walk along the raised stone path in front of it slowly.

Yeongnyeongjeon (영녕전)

The auxiliary shrine, built for kings whose tablets were moved out of the main hall. Quieter, less visited, worth spending time in.

Jongmyo Jerye (종묘제례)

The royal ancestral ritual, held on the first Sunday of May. Confucian ceremony, traditional court music, hundreds of participants in period dress. It’s one of the few living royal rituals still performed in Korea. If your visit coincides with it, don’t miss it.

Visiting tips

Around 1 to 1.5 hours is enough. Entry is by guided tour only — free tours in English are available at set times, so check the schedule before you go. Jongmyo is typically closed on Tuesdays.

Changdeokgung, Changgyeonggung, and Jongmyo sit within walking distance of each other — and honestly, visiting all three in one day is the way to do it. Each one offers something different: the forested garden, the quiet palace grounds, the solemn shrine. Together they give you a complete picture of what the eastern royal zone of the old capital actually felt like. Plan for a full day and take your time.

Who will enjoy it most

Travelers who want something genuinely different from the other palace sites. Anyone interested in Confucian culture, ritual, or Korean ceremonial tradition. People who find meaning in quiet, historically layered spaces. If you’re used to tourist sites that explain themselves loudly, Jongmyo will ask more of you — and give more back.

How to Get There

East Seoul Palaces Guide: Operating Hours

Use the timetable below or visit the website to plan your visit easily. Each palace has different hours depending on the season and tour type, so check the details before you go.

East Seoul Palaces Guide: Admission Fees

These are the admission fees for foreign travelers.
Remember: Changdeokgung’s Secret Garden is an add-on ticket and must be bought together with the main palace admission.

The eastern palaces ask something different of you than the western ones. Less spectacle, more stillness. You have to slow down to feel what’s here — and when you do, it stays with you longer than you expect.

If you’re planning a full palace day, pair this with the West Seoul Palaces Guide to see both sides of the city’s royal history.

Have questions about visiting? Drop them in the comments below.

Planning your first trip to Korea? Start at My First Korea Guide.