Summary
Changdeokgung Palace is a separate palace built after the completion of Gyeongbokgung Palace in 1405. It is located on the east side of the main palace, Gyeongbokgung Palace, and is one of the five major palaces in Seoul. Changdeokgung Palace’s rear garden, also known as the Secret Garden or Forbidden Garden, is the backyard of Changdeokgung Palace in South Korea and requires a reservation to enter. For those who have no concept of Seoul, South Korea, it is recommended to include Changdeokgung Palace and the Secret Garden as one of the must-visit attractions. Changdeokgung Palace is located at Anguk Station on the subway. After exiting from Exit 3, it takes about a 5-minute walk to reach the main gate of Changdeokgung Palace. Dunhuamen, the main gate of Changdeokgung Palace, was built in the second year of King Taejong, and the two-story wooden structure was burned down during the Japanese invasion and later restored in 1608.
The ticket office is located on the left side outside Dunhuamen. The ticket booth clearly states the ticket price and guided tour time. If you want to visit the Secret Garden, there is an additional fee of W5000, and each session has a quota limit. If you are afraid of not being able to buy tickets, you can make a reservation online in advance.
-Click here to skip Changdeokgung Palace reservation information-
Changdeokgung Palace Secret Garden – Online Reservation Method:
1. Enter the Changdeokgung Palace official website (click the upper right corner to switch to English):
http://eng.cdg.go.kr/main/main.htm
2. Click on the “Tour reservation” menu at the top.
3. You can see the available reservation times. If you want to listen to the “Chinese” session, there is only one session at 12:30 each day, and most of the other sessions are in English.
(Image source: Changdeokgung Palace official website)
4. After selecting the desired session, click “Click to make a reservation” to confirm the reservation.
Tickets available represent the remaining number of available reservations for that session.
5. Enter the relevant reservation information, as marked in the following image.
6. After submitting, you will receive a confirmation email, which means the reservation is complete.
You can print this out and show it to the ticket officer when purchasing tickets.
Important reminder:
1. The Secret Garden operates on a group entry and exit system, with a visit time of 90 minutes, so make sure to allocate enough time.
2. It takes about 10 minutes to walk from the main gate to the Secret Garden meeting point, so be sure to arrive early!
3. Wear comfortable shoes when visiting the Secret Garden, as there are many uphill paths.
The Chinese tour guide in the Secret Garden is a Chinese-speaking Ah Zhu Mama. Since it is a Chinese session, there was only one Taiwanese girl in the group, and the rest were tourists from mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau.
▼ Ah Zhu Mama, the Chinese tour guide
▼ The Secret Garden is really peaceful, truly worthy of being the royal family’s backyard.
▼ The first stop, “Pavilion of Floating Fragrance,” should be familiar to those who have watched the Korean drama “Rooftop Prince.”
▼ According to Ah Zhu Mama, those who walk through the “Gate of Eternal Youth” will live forever…
▼ “Lotus Pond,” a recreational spot for ancient nobles to visit
▼ According to Ah Zhu Mama, it’s rice.
▼ “Gate of Eternal Joy,” supposedly built by ancient emperors to experience the life of commoners, but from the layout inside, it seems to be different from the average person XD
To maintain some sense of mystery about the Secret Garden, not all photos are posted here. Interested friends can arrange a visit to see for themselves. Since I was in a rush when I arrived at Changdeokgung Palace, I only briefly visited the palace after visiting the Secret Garden.
▼ After coming out of the Secret Garden, you can see the “Jeongshin Gate,” which is the route to Geunjeongjeon Hall.
▼ The “Injeong Gate” leading to the main hall actually looks quite similar XD
▼ The “Ranking Stones” in front of Injeongjeon Hall; there are nine ranks, arranged according to the official positions of civil and military officials, with civil officials on the east side and military officials on the west side. Civil and military officials would sit on the ground facing the central seat during court sessions.
▼ Injeongjeon Hall, it actually looks quite majestic up close.
▼ “Daejojeon Hall” is the sleeping quarters of the emperor and empress, the central palace for the royal family’s daily life.
If you want to thoroughly explore Changdeokgung Palace and the Secret Garden, you should allocate an afternoon, as the area is quite large. In addition to wearing comfortable shoes, also remember to protect yourself from the sun, as there aren’t many shaded areas. Even in mid-September, it can still be hot in Korea XD~
Finally, here is some information about visiting Changdeokgung Palace:
Opening hours:
March to May, September to October: 09:00-18:00
June to August: 09:00-18:30
November to January: 09:00-17:30
* Ticket sales end 1 hour before closing time
