Seokjojeon
A stone palace with columns.
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A small palace in the middle of modern Seoul, across from City Hall, that mixes traditional Korean halls with stone buildings in the Western style. King Seonjo used it as a temporary home during the war of 1592, when the other palaces had been destroyed, and it later became the main palace of the Korean Empire (1897-1910) under Emperor Gojong, who wanted it to stand for the country's modernisation. Its main buildings are the throne hall, Junghwajeon, and Seokjojeon, a stone palace with classical columns that was completed in 1910 and now holds the Daehan Empire History Museum. Next to it is a branch of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art. The changing of the royal guard takes place in front of Daehanmun gate at 11:00 and 14:00, except on Mondays, and may be cancelled in bad weather. Along the outer wall runs the tree-shaded Stone Wall Walkway, one of the city's loveliest strolls, especially in autumn. The palace stays open into the evening, so it works well after sunset, when the buildings are lit. It is closed on Mondays.
A stone palace with columns.
In front of Daehanmun gate.
A shaded stroll by the wall.
99 Sejong-daero, Jung-gu; City Hall Station (Lines 1 and 2)
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