Bukchon Hanok Village is a small village located in Seoul, South Korea where traditional Korean houses have been preserved. This village lies in the centre of Gyeongbokgung Palace, Changdeokgung Palace and Jongmyo. Bukchon means “northern village”. This name was given to it because it is located at the northern part of Cheongyecheon Stream and Jongno. Many years ago, this place was a popular residential area for noble families, high-ranking officials and royal family members.
Bukchon Hanok Village is one of Seoul’s most picturesque regions. It has a large number of traditional Korean houses against a lovely landscaped background. There are many beautiful historical spots in Bukchon Hanok Village. The eaves connect the houses beautifully and most of the walls between the houses are shared. The roofs of the houses seem to blend together as a whole to form a beautiful sea of black tile. The luxurious tile-roofs (giwas) of the houses have been preserved since the Joseon Dynasty. The numerous branch-like alleys that exist in Bukchon Hanok Village are one of the old features of the area which add to its traditional ambience.
Visitors to the place can sense the warmth of the place which is created by the close linkage of the houses by eaves, the nearness of the houses from one another and the existence of shared alleys. At Bukchon Hanok Village, visitors have the opportunity to experience the atmosphere of a Korean traditional village. There are hanok-styled restaurants, galleries and a cultural centre. Visitors can learn the history of the area through its historical spots, folklore materials and cultural heritage.
Changdeokgung Palace is located in Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea. UNESCO listed it as a World Cultural Heritage in 1997. The layout of the buildings in the palace grounds is designed in such a remarkable way that they blend very well with the uneven natural landscape. All the building structures, gardens, pavilions, seem to harmonise beautifully with the natural surroundings.
Changdeokgung Palace is one of the palaces built by the Josean Dynasty. It was completed in 1412. “Changdeokgung” means “Palace of Prospering Virtue”. This palace was the residence of 14 kings of the Josean Dynasty. It was largely destroyed during the Japanese occupation of Korea in 1592 and was rebuilt in 1612. Subsequently, massive-scale restoration works was carried out from 1990 to 1999.
Being known by many as a beautiful historic site, tourists from all around the world come to visit Changdeokgung Palace. In addition to the buildings, the palace has a lovely rear garden. The main palace gate, Donhwamun Gate, is the largest of all palace gates. It is a two-storey pavilion wooden structure. Injeongjeon Hall is the throne hall of Changdeokgung Palace. It was used for conducting important state affairs. This particular hall had been rebuilt two times. The king used Seonjeongjeon Hall to hold meetings with officials. Daejojeon Hall served as the queen’s official residence. The royal libraries were housed in Juhamnu Pavilion.
The rear garden is known as the “Secret Garden”. This beautiful garden was used as a place for relaxation by the royal family members. In the garden, there are pavilions, stone bridges, pond, trees and flowers. The garden was previously a highly restricted place. Even high ranking officials could not enter without the king’s permission. The best time to visit the garden is during the fall when the autumn foliage is at its peak and the leaves start to fall. The sight looks stunning. It would be great to enjoy a relaxing stroll in the garden at that time!
Gyeongbokgung Palace is a royal palace located in northern Seoul, South Korea. It was the largest palace built by the Joseon Dynasty. It was constructed in 1395 by King Taejo and was largely burnt down during the Japanese occupation (1592 – 1598). It was re-constructed in 1865 after remaining in ruins for about 250 years. Many of the buildings at the palace were demolished during the Japanese colonial period. However, since 1990, restoration works of the palace has been done to restore it to its original state.
The name ‘Gyeongbok’ means ‘shining palace’. With Mount Bugaksan to its rear and Mount Namsan in the foreground, Gyeongbokgung Palace has impressive sight. The beautiful surroundings add to the grandeur of the place. There are about 330 buildings built on this piece of land that spans over 40 hectares. The palace has pavilions, offices, storerooms, gates and bridges. Visitors to the palace can gain a better understanding of the culture and heritage of Korea.
There are two grand building structures here. One of them is Geunjeongjeon, the main palace building where the foreign envoys were usually received and affairs of state were conducted. It is a two-storey building with a high stone platform, a spacious flat-stone courtyard and surrounding open-sided corridors. The other grand building structure is Gyeonghoeru, a magnificent raised pavilion which overlooks a pond and two small islands. This pavilion rests on forty eight stone pillars. Banquets and feasts used to be held in this building.
Gwanghwamun is the main gate of the palace. The structure has a high stone foundation, doubled-roofed pavilion and three arched openings. This gate was restored in 1968. The gates of Gyeongbokgung Palace are replicas of fortress gates, which have high stone foundations and arched entrances in the centre. Gwanghwamun has three arched openings and hence, is considered as the main gate of the palace. Both the National Palace Museum of Korea and the National Folk Museum are located in Gyeongbokgung Palace.