Dave McNally Photography

Story, pho­tos by Dave McNally

Stoic guards and offi­cials march to the palace gate with col­or­ful robes and tra­di­tional flags flow­ing in the wind. Another day begins for the reen­ac­tors of Gyeong­bok Palace in cen­tral Seoul.

The city is home to five Joseon Dynasty palaces. But, Gyeong­bok Palace is the cen­ter­piece of Korea’s royal past. The com­plex is a liv­ing legacy of 15th cen­tury Korea.

Exten­sive ren­o­va­tions over the past decade restored the palace grounds to a once regal air.

Dur­ing most of the Japan­ese occu­pa­tion, 1910–1945, a mono­lithic gray admin­is­tra­tion build­ing stood within the palace gates block­ing the view of the for­mer home of kings.

For decades after the Korean War, the gov­ern­ment used the build­ing as an admin­is­tra­tion build­ing and even as the National Museum of Korea; how­ever, it was always a painful reminder of the occu­pa­tion. After its 1996 demo­li­tion, Kore­ans began to restore the complex.

The palace was orig­i­nally built in 1394, but much of it burned to the ground in a 1592 Japan­ese invasion.

In 1911, the Japan­ese only left 10 build­ings stand­ing as con­struc­tion began on the Japan­ese admin­is­tra­tion building.

Today, there are 330 build­ings on the palace grounds, includ­ing the National Folk Museum. Vis­i­tors are free to roam the complex.

The cer­e­monies of open­ing and clos­ing the palace gate and chang­ing of the guard hap­pen three times a day every day of the year, except Tues­days, or in the event of rain.

The Foun­da­tion for the Preser­va­tion of Cul­tural Prop­er­ties is the Repub­lic of Korea office with over­sight of not only build­ings and relics, but of the how Kore­ans used pomp and cir­cum­stance to rule the land.

The foun­da­tion reen­acts his­tor­i­cal cer­e­monies based on “care­ful and thor­ough his­tor­i­cal investigations.

From Novem­ber to Feb­ru­ary, the palace is open daily from 9 a.m.-7 p.m., and closed on Tues­days. The entrance fee is 3,000 won for adults and 1,500 won for children.

To get to the palace, use the Seoul Sub­way Sys­tem Line 3, and then take Exit 5 at Gyeong­bok­gung Station.