PalaceClosed Tuesday (the palace opens on a Tuesday public holiday and closes the next working day instead)

Gyeongbokgung Palace

#1of 10 places to visit in SeoulSeoul, Seoul Capital Area, South Korea

Also known as Gyeongbok Palace · 경복궁 · Northern Palace

Quick answer

Opening hours: Varies by season or area, closed Tuesdays, last entry 17:00. Entry: ₩3,000. Allow 2 hrs. Best time: 09:00-10:30.

Updated 18 September 2026 · Compiled by Traveliac, AI-assisted · 4 min read

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Photo: Frank Schulenburg / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Opening hours: Hours vary; Closed Tuesdays
Entry fee: ₩3,000; Ticket from
Time needed: 2 hrs
Best time of day: 09:00-10:30
Best months: Apr – Jun, Sep – Oct
Address: 161 Sajik-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul 03045, South Korea

About Gyeongbokgung Palace

Gyeongbokgung Palace charges KRW 3,000 for adults and is closed every Tuesday, as of 2026. King Taejo founded the compound in 1395 as the principal royal palace of the Joseon dynasty, and it remains the largest of Seoul's five Joseon palaces, laid out on a strict north-south axis with Bugaksan mountain rising behind the throne hall. Geunjeongjeon, the throne hall, stands on a two-tier granite platform edged with carved balustrades, and low stone markers in the courtyard once told each official where to stand by rank. Gyeonghoeru, the banquet pavilion, rises on 48 stone columns over a lotus pond. Dancheong, the painted decoration in green, red, ochre and blue, covers every eave and beam.

Best time of day: 09:00-10:30. On a weekday, before tour groups fill the Geunjeongjeon courtyard; the light on the granite and roof tiles is also flatter and easier to photograph than at midday.

Gyeongbokgung Palace timings

Opening hours: Hours vary; Monday Varies by season or area
Tuesday Closed
Wed–Sun Varies by season or area; March-May and September-October 09:00-18:00 (last entry 17:00). June-August 09:00-18:30 (last entry 17:30). November-February 09:00-17:00 (last entry 16:00).
Closed on: Tuesday (the palace opens on a Tuesday public holiday and closes the next working day instead)

Monday	Varies by season or area
Tuesday	Closed
Wed–Sun	Varies by season or area

Good to know: Special night openings run for limited periods in spring and autumn on a separate ticket with capped numbers; dates are announced by the Royal Palaces and Tombs Center.

Opening hours compiled from royal.khs.go.kr and public records, last updated 18 September 2026. They change without notice — confirm before you travel. How we write these guides

Gyeongbokgung Palace ticket price

Entry fees for Gyeongbokgung Palace
Ticket	Price
Standard ticket	₩3,000
Concession (student / senior)	Free
Children	Free

Gyeongbokgung Palace charges KRW 3,000 for adults, as of 2026. Visitors aged 65 and over, children, and anyone wearing hanbok (traditional Korean dress) enter free. Sources disagree on the exact age cut-off for free youth entry (the Korea Tourism Organization page says under 19; some guides say 6 and under), so verify at the ticket booth or the Royal Palaces and Tombs Center site. A combined ticket covering the four Joseon palaces and Jongmyo Shrine is sold at around KRW 10,000 (verify current price); it does not cover the Changdeokgung Huwon garden tour.

Prices compiled from royal.khs.go.kr and public records, last updated 18 September 2026. They change without notice — confirm before you travel. How we write these guides

Best time to visit Gyeongbokgung Palace

Quiet
Moderate
Busy
Very busy

09:00 - 10:30
Opening WindowBest time to go
Individual visitors and a few early school groups share the courtyards; Geunjeongjeon can be photographed with few people in frame.
Quiet
10:30 - 12:30
Ceremony and Tour Surge
The 10:00 guard-changing ceremony, coach tours and school trips converge; the Geunjeongjeon platform and Gyeonghoeru viewing spot are shoulder to shoulder.
Very busy
12:30 - 15:30
Afternoon Steady
Hanbok-wearing groups and independent travellers keep the main axis busy; side areas such as Hyangwonjeong pavilion and the Folk Museum stay calmer.
Busy
15:30 - closing
Late Wind-Down
Crowds thin after the 14:00 ceremony; low sun lights the eastern buildings, and staff begin clearing the grounds before closing.
Moderate

History of Gyeongbokgung Palace

Gyeongbokgung Palace was completed in 1395, three years after Taejo founded the Joseon dynasty, and by the late nineteenth century held roughly 500 buildings. The palace burned during the Imjin War of 1592 and lay in ruins for about 270 years before reconstruction began in 1865. Empress Myeongseong was assassinated within the palace grounds in 1895, an event that hastened the court's flight and the palace's decline.

After the 1910 annexation, Japanese colonial authorities sold or dismantled most of the compound and built the Government-General headquarters in front of the throne hall; by the 1945 liberation only about 40 pre-colonial buildings remained. South Korea removed that headquarters in 1996 and has since rebuilt on the original plans. The first restoration plan (1990-2010) reconstructed 89 buildings, and a second plan running to 2045 aims to recreate roughly 90 more. Much of what visitors see is therefore reconstruction, mostly timber on stone foundations, rather than original fabric.

Rules & etiquette at Gyeongbokgung Palace

Gyeongbokgung Palace has no dress code, but staff enforce the rule that visitors stay off the marked stone platforms, do not touch painted columns or lean on balustrades, and do not enter roped-off interiors. Drones are banned, tripods and gimbal rigs can be stopped at the gate for congesting walkways, and commercial filming needs prior permission from the Royal Palaces and Tombs Center. Smoking and open food are not permitted inside the compound, and large picnic setups are turned back.

Hanbok wearers enter free, which creates a steady stream of rented costumes from the shops around Anguk and Sajik. Staff can ask for ticket or clothing checks at the Gwanghwamun booth, so check the current definition of qualifying attire (a full traditional outfit, not accessories) if free entry is your reason for renting.

Tips for visiting Gyeongbokgung Palace

1
Gyeongbokgung Palace holds a royal guard-changing ceremony outside Gwanghwamun gate, currently at 10:00 and 14:00 (verify the schedule; it does not run on Tuesdays), and the ceremony square fills with photographers about 15 minutes before. Free guided tours in English run several times a day, typically at 11:00, 13:30 and 15:30, and start near Heungnyemun gate.
2
Gyeongbokgung Palace has almost no shade on its granite courtyards, so summer visits between June and August are best before 11:00, and the monsoon-season stone turns slick. Coming into the palace via Gwanghwamun and leaving by the east gate, Geonchunmun, drops you within a 15-minute walk of Samcheong-dong and Bukchon, which makes a natural pairing. The palace-side National Folk Museum sits inside the walls and is a dry refuge in rain. Street stalls near the gate sell overpriced snacks; the side lanes toward Tongui-dong and Seochon give better value.

How to reach Gyeongbokgung Palace

The red star is Gyeongbokgung Palace; the numbered pins are the 7 nearest places in our guides, each showing its rank in its city. Tap a pin for details.

161 Sajik-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul 03045, South KoreaDirections in Google Maps

From Incheon International Airport (ICN)
60 km · 75-90 min
KRW 4,750-5,000 all-stop AREX plus KRW 1,550-1,650 subway (express AREX costs more; verify current tariff)
From Seoul Station
5 km · 18-22 min
KRW 1,550-1,650 with a T-money card (as of 2026, verify)
From Myeongdong
3 km · 15-25 min
KRW 1,550-1,650 with a T-money card, or free on foot

Nearest airport

From Incheon International Airport (ICN)

about 60 km, 45 minutes by AREX express to Seoul Station plus 20 minutes by subway.

Nearest station

From Gyeongbokgung Station (Line 3), Exit 5, which opens beside the ticket office; Gwanghwamun Station (Line 5), Exit 2, is the alternative for the main gate.

Gyeongbokgung Palace FAQs

How much does Gyeongbokgung Palace cost?

Adult admission to Gyeongbokgung Palace is KRW 3,000, as of 2026. Entry is free for visitors aged 65 and over, young children, and anyone wearing hanbok; check the exact youth age limit at the ticket booth.

Which day is Gyeongbokgung Palace closed?

Tuesday. Gyeongbokgung Palace closes every Tuesday, but if Tuesday is a public holiday it opens and closes the following working day instead.

Is a hanbok really free at Gyeongbokgung Palace?

Yes. Visitors wearing hanbok enter Gyeongbokgung Palace without a ticket, though staff may check that the outfit is a genuine traditional garment rather than a single accessory.

How long should I spend at Gyeongbokgung Palace?

Allow about two hours. That covers the Geunjeongjeon throne hall, Gyeonghoeru pavilion and the walk through the northern garden areas; add 45 minutes if you visit the National Folk Museum inside the grounds.

Compiled with AI assistance from official sources and public records, and published only after the checks in How we write these guides. Nobody from Traveliac has visited this place. Last updated 18 September 2026. How we rank and check places