A G: Seoul Day 3 part 1 by Aaron - Jongmyo Shrine 宗庙，Changdeokgung Palace 昌德宫，Changgyeonggung Palace 昌庆宫，Bukchon Hanok Village 北村韩屋村， National Folk Museum of Korea

Seoul Day 3 Part 1

Jongmyo Shrine 宗庙，Changdeokgung Palace 昌德宫，Changgyeonggung Palace 昌庆宫，Bukchon Hanok Village 北村韩屋村, National Folk Museum of Korea

~ Aaron

Trip to Asia: Day 1 - Seoul / Hong Kong
Day 2 - Hong Kong
Day 3 - Macau / Zhuhai
Day 4 - Yangshuo
Day 5 - Guilin
Day 6 - Beihai
Day 7 - Sanya
Day 8 - Sanya
Day 9 - Sanya
Day 10 - Sanya
Day 11 - Haikou
Day 12 - Zhuhai
Day 13 - Hong Kong / Seoul
Day 14 - Seoul

Hotel at Myeong-dong 明洞,
Jongmyo Shrine 宗庙, Changdeokgung 昌德宫
Changyonggung 昌庆宫,
Bukchon Hanok Village 北村韩屋村,
National Folk Museum of Korea
Blue House 青瓦台,
Gyeongbokgung 景福宫,
Cheonggye Plaza 清溪广场,
Seoul City Hall

I had a wonderful time during my 3rd day in Seoul. I visited the amazing Jongmyo shrine. The Changdeokgung has a pretty garden. The Changgyeonggung is another beautiful palace. Bukchon Village was an example of a traditional Korean village. The National Folk Museum of Korea had lots of wonderful information.

Walking towards Jongmyo Shrine 宗庙

大觉寺 temple

Outside of Jongmyo Shrine

Outside walls of Jongmyo Shrine

Jongmyo Shrine 宗庙

At the entrance

Beautiful walkway in Jongmyo Shrine

Trees in Jongmyo Shrine

Interior of the shrine

Jongmyo Shrine

永宁殿

Interior of Jongmyo shrine

The Jongmyo shrine 宗庙 was a very important shrine for the Korean people. There was originally 1 shrine hall, but there is another one nowadays. It was where the spirit tablets of dead kings and queens were enshrined and sacrifices were made for them. It contains 49 spirit tablets of kings and queens, all with outstanding achievements. The Jongmyo shrine even had an isle-way just for the spirits!

Changdeokgung Palace 昌德宫

敦化门，昌德宫

Main entrance to Changdeokgung Palace

across the street of Jongmyo Shrine

敦化门，昌德宫

敦化门，昌德宫

敦化门

At the entrance

进善门

肃章门

仁政殿

At the pole of 正一品，仁政殿

Interior of 仁政殿

宣政殿

大造殿

昌德宫

A persimmon tree at 昌德宫

Changdeokgung 昌德宫 is a fascinating place. It was first built as a secondary palace. After its destruction, the palace became the main palace for 270 years after it was rebuilt in 1610. It is mostly famous for the garden in the back. The Secret Garden, as it was called, was intended as a place for members of the royal family to relax. The garden took up about 60% of the entire Changdeokgung Palace.

Changgyeonggung Palace 昌庆宫

弘化门

main entrance to 昌庆宫

弘化门，昌庆宫

弘化门

明政殿

Pole of 正一品

at 明政殿

明政殿

通明殿

A pavillion

at 昌庆宫

昌庆宫

养和堂

长乐门

at 长乐门

昌庆宫

The Changgyeonggung 昌庆宫 is connected to Changdeokgung. The reason for this was because many kings liked to stay in the Changdeokgung, causing it to be filled to its maximum. Eventually, a king solved the problem by building a palace right next to the Changdeokgung. Because it was initially intended as a residential area, not a seat of government, there were many differences between this palace and other royal palaces.

Bukchon Hanok Village 北村韩屋村

At the entrance of Bukchon

Bukchon

Traditional Korean house at Bukchon

Soy sauce jars

At Bukchon

Interior of

traditional Korean house

Interior of

traditional Korean house

Interior of

traditional Korean house

Bukchon

Interior of

traditional Korean house

At Bukchon

Rooftop of a traditional Korean house

At Bukchon

Cabbage flowers

at Bukchon

Cabbage flowers

National Folk Museum of Korea

At the entrance

At the museum

At the museum

孝子门

孝子门

孝子门

孝子门

At the museum

At the museum

At the museum

梧村宅 Traditional Korean houses

at the museum

梧村宅

梧村宅

梧村宅

梧村宅

梧村宅

Traditional Korean houses at the museum

石爷

Bukchon Village 北村韩屋村 is an example of a traditional Korean village with a long history. It has lots of alleys and hanoks. This village was originally home to high-ranking government officials and nobility. The National Folk Museum of Korea 韩国民俗博物馆 had 3 main exhibit halls. The History of Korean People featured artifacts from Korean history, the Korean Way of Life shows Korean people in ancient times, and the Life Cycle of the Koreans shows the culture of the Korean. It opened in its present site in 1993.

This 3rd day in Seoul was extremely nice. The amazing Jongmyo shrine is a special place for the Korean. Changdeokgung has an excellent garden. The Changgyeonggung was the 3rd palace built in Korean times! The Bukchon Village is very famous. The National Folk Museum of Korea was informational. I wish I could experience this day another time!