Changdeok Palace (Changdeokgung)

Built in 1405 by King Taejong, it was originally designed as a “satellite” palace (Yigung) to the main Gyeongbok Palace. However, it ultimately became the most beloved residence of the Joseon kings and served as the de facto seat of government for 273 years. This was because the main Gyeongbok Palace was destroyed in the Japanese invasions of 1592 and was not rebuilt for centuries, leaving Changdeok Palace as the primary royal home.

Its UNESCO status was granted not just for its buildings, but for its groundbreaking design which differs fundamentally from other East Asian palaces. Unlike the rigid, symmetrical, north-south axis of Gyeongbok Palace which mimics Chinese design principles, Changdeokgung’s layout is intentionally asymmetrical. Its halls and pavilions are arranged to “seamlessly integrate with the natural surroundings, respecting the shape of the encompassing mountains”.

A tour of the palace reveals its long and complex history. The main gate, Donhwamun, is the oldest surviving palace gate in Seoul, rebuilt in 1608. Just inside, the Geumcheongyo Bridge is the oldest single stone structure remaining in any of Seoul’s palaces, built in 1411. The official Throne Hall, Injeongjeon, features unique Western-style modifications from the early 1900s, including hardwood floors, glass windows, and electric chandeliers, installed after the King moved back to the palace in 1907. Another unique structure is Seonjeongjeon Hall, the only remaining palace building with expensive blue-glazed tiles, originally recycled from a dismantled palace in the 17th century.

Uniquely, the palace remained a home long after the dynasty ended. The Nakseonjae Residence, a modest building built by King Heonjong for his concubine, housed the last members of the imperial family—including Empress Sunjeong Yoon and Princess Deokhye — who lived there until as recently as 1989.

The palace’s most celebrated feature is its Huwon, or Rear Garden, often called the Secret Garden. What makes the Huwon so significant is its demonstration of pure Korean garden philosophy. It was designed in contrast to the Chinese garden tradition, which often sought to demonstrate human control over nature. The Huwon’s designers did the opposite: they adapted to the existing landscape rather than changing it. The garden was left largely untouched, with pavilions built to fit into the natural contours of the hills. This approach embraces a natural look, incorporating rugged stones and unaltered slopes as part of the garden’s beauty. It is a space for the royal family to be within nature, not to look at a human-made version of it.