Deoksugung Palace

Deoksugung began as a private residence and became a palace by accident at the end of the sixteenth century, when the older palaces were out of use, and it filled that role again around 1897 when the court moved back into it. It is the only palace in Seoul where two architectures share one compound: Junghwajeon, a formal throne hall raised on a stone terrace with ranked officials' markers in front of it, and Seokjojeon, a grey neoclassical block with columns and a pediment finished in 1910. Between them sit a glass-and-iron annexe, a fountain garden and a walled path. It is the smallest of the five and the easiest to see in one visit, and it stays open into the evening.

What you actually see

• Junghwajeon - the throne hall on its terrace, with the ranked stone markers in front.
• Seokjojeon - the neoclassical stone building of 1910, restored inside as a period museum.
• The changing of the guard - performed at Daehanmun gate several times a day.
• The stone-wall road - Doldam-gil, the walled lane running along the outside of the compound.

When to go

Spring and autumn are the comfortable months, and the maples along the stone-wall road are why many people come in late October. The palace stays open later than the others, and the lit halls after dark are the best part of a visit. The guard-changing ceremony runs at set times and is cancelled in bad weather.

Honest expectations

Much of the original compound was lost, so the grounds are modest next to Gyeongbokgung. Seokjojeon can only be seen on a timed guided tour booked in advance, and English slots are few and go early. Office towers loom over the walls on three sides. Two hours is genuinely enough, and in winter the open courtyards are bitter.

Nearby

Seoul City Hall and the stone-wall road are outside the gate; Gyeongbokgung is twenty minutes north.