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Showing posts from January, 2019

Deoksugung Palace

< Junghwajeon Hall> Located at the corner of Seoul's busiest downtown intersection, Deoksugung Palace is famous for its elegant stone-wall road. It is also the only palace that sits alongside a series of western style buildings that add to the uniqueness of the surrounding scenery. Deoksugung Palace originally belonged to Wolsandaegun (1454-1488), the older brother of King Seongjong (1469-1494) of the Joseon Dynasty. It became a proper palace when Gwanghaegun (1575-1641) ascended to the throne and gave this royal residence the name Gyeongungung Palace in 1611. Over the following decades, the palace alternated between being an official palace and a temporary residence. The name did not official change to Deoksugung Palace, meaning the “palace of virtuous longevity,” until 1907. While the palace incompassed a vast area with many buildings, the current palace grounds are just a small shadow of the prior splendor, with very few structures remaining. Upon entering Deoksugun