Changdeokgung

Changdeokgung, also known as Changdeokgung Palace or Changdeok Palace, is set within a large park in Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea. It is one of the "Five Grand Palaces" built by the kings of the Joseon Dynasty. Because of its location east of Gyeongbok Palace, Changdeokgung, with Changgyeonggung, is also referred to as the East Palace(東闕, Donggwol). The literal meaning of Changdeokgung(昌德宮) is "Palace of Prospering Virtue". (from Wikipedia)

Currently the weather in Korea is getting hotter by the day, and I am busy preparing to move.. so I searched my files for old pictures... and got some pictures taken in Changdeokgung during my friend's visit from Japan.

Well, there are five grand palaces, and one of the famous one is Chagdeokgung. Most of the tourist in Korea visit one of these palaces. Although the Palace has only 30% of its original remains due to the Japanese occupation, it took us about 1 hour and 40 minutes to walk around the entire premise.

The Outer of one of the Palace

Interior

Taken with Friends

The admission fee is around $3~5 depending on the tour you want. There's a English, Japanese, Chinese and Korean guides you can follow. You have to check the time though 'cause there's like 2 English and Japanese guided tours and 1 Chinese tours. Unfortunately for us, we missed the English tour so I had to listen to the Korean and translated it in English to my friend and she had to translate it to her Japanese friend... how easier it would have been if I could speak Japanese or the friend spoke English. :P

One advice is that don't expect too much... you won't be able to go inside the buildings but could only see them through windows... and won't advice you to go during Summer.