DeokSuGung Palace in Seoul

DeokSuGung Palace is the symbolic seat of modern Korean and center of modern Seoul.

For sheer ease of access, you can't beat DeokSuGung, located right next to City Hall in the heart of modern downtown Seoul. At 6pm, amid the bell sound from its neighboring Anglican Church of Korea, the palace turns even more graceful.

It was the main palace during the DaeHanJeGuk period of late JoSeon Dynasty. After the Japanese Invasion of Korea burnt down all other palaces in Seoul, the king took over the then residence of a crown prince to stay.

The next king GwangHaeGun promoted it to a status of palace naming as GyungWunGung in 1611. GwangHaeGun then moved to the restored ChangDeokGung leaving GyungWunGung as a sceondary one.

Later, with the start of DaeHanJeGuk, Emperor GoJong chose it as his main palace. When he stepped down from the throne, the palace was renamed as the current DeokSuGung praying for his long life.

DeokSuGung are embellished with spring cherry blossoms and yellow gingko leaves in fall. Couples love to walk around the stone palace walls enjoying the unique feel of the palace.

It's very easy to get there by a subway, City Hall subway station No.2 Green Line or No.1 Red Line.