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🏯 HeritageSeoulUNESCO World Heritage (1997)

Changdeokgung Palace and the Secret Garden

The Joseon palace built to follow the shape of the hills, with a royal garden — the "Secret Garden" — that is one of Seoul's loveliest autumn walks.

In Korean창덕궁과 후원“Changdeokgung”

Where
Jongno-gu, Seoul
Best season
Spring, Autumn
Best time
Morning, especially in autumn foliage season

#palace#UNESCO#autumn leaves

💡 Good to know
  • The Secret Garden can only be visited on a guided tour with limited places — book ahead if you can.
  • A gate connects it to neighboring Changgyeonggung Palace, so you can see both in one visit.
  • Visitors wearing hanbok enter free.
📷 Photo tips
  • At Buyongji Pond, catch the pavilion together with its reflection.
  • Shoot the corridors around Injeongjeon Hall from a low angle to show the roof lines.

Built in 1405 as the second royal palace of the Joseon dynasty, Changdeokgung does not follow a straight, formal axis like Gyeongbokgung. Instead its halls are arranged around the natural slopes of the hills — one reason it was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997.

Highlights

  • Donhwamun Gate and Injeongjeon Hall — the main gate and the throne hall where state ceremonies were held.
  • The Secret Garden (Huwon) — the royal family’s private garden of ponds, pavilions and forest paths. Buyongji Pond with the Juhamnu pavilion is the classic view, and the whole garden glows in autumn.

Good to know

The Secret Garden is visited only on guided tours with a limited number of places, so reserve in advance when possible. Bukchon Hanok Village is a short walk away.

Find it on a Korean map app — search 창덕궁과 후원:Naver Map ↗KakaoMap ↗

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