Changdeokgung Palace and the Secret Garden: How to Visit

Of all Seoul's palaces, Changdeokgung was the one that stayed with us. Built in 1405, it was the favourite residence of many Joseon kings, and it is the only Seoul palace on the UNESCO World Heritage list, because its halls follow the hills and trees instead of a rigid grid.

Behind the palace lies the Secret Garden, a royal retreat of ponds, pavilions and ancient trees that you can only visit on a guided tour. We arrived late, missed the English tour and joined a Korean one anyway. Learn from our mistake: book ahead.

Quick answer: Changdeokgung costs ₩3,000; the Secret Garden tour costs ₩5,000 extra and can only be visited with a guide. Tickets go on sale online at 10 am six days before your visit, with a few same-day tickets from 9 am. The palace is closed on Mondays. The ₩6,000 integrated palace ticket covers the palace but not the Secret Garden.

Visiting Changdeokgung Palace

Changdeokgung was built by King Taejong as a secondary palace, but after Gyeongbokgung burned in 1592, it served as the main royal residence for almost 270 years. Highlights:

• Donhwamun Gate, the oldest surviving palace gate in Seoul.
• Injeongjeon, the throne hall used for coronations and receptions of foreign envoys.
• Huijeongdang, the king's quarters, modernised in the early 20th century with Western furniture and wooden floors.
• Nakseonjae, a group of unpainted wooden buildings where members of the last royal family lived until 1989.

Don't walk on the raised central path in the courtyards: it was reserved for the king.

The Secret Garden (Huwon)

The Secret Garden covers about 60% of the palace grounds, on the forested hills behind the halls. The tour (about 90 minutes) leads past:

• Buyongji Pond, overlooked by the two-storey Juhamnu, the royal library, and Yeonghwadang, where kings watched the civil service exams.
• Aeryeonji, the lotus pond. King Sukjong is said to have loved the lotus because it "blooms with clean flowers however dirty the water may be".
• Yeongyeongdang, a house built by the crown prince in 1828 in the style of a nobleman's home.
• Gwallamjeong and Jondeokjeong, a fan-shaped and a hexagonal pavilion by the water.
• Ongnyucheon, a small stream where kings floated wine cups and composed poems.
• A 750-year-old juniper tree.

The palaces are favourite filming locations for Korean historical dramas, and walking through the Secret Garden, it is easy to imagine the court intrigues, love stories and conspiracies of those TV series.

How to book the Secret Garden tour

• Online: tickets open at 10 am, six days before the date. Popular times sell out quickly, especially in spring and autumn.
• On site: a limited number of same-day tickets from 9 am.
• Languages: tours run in Korean, English, Japanese and Chinese at set times. Check the schedule and pick a tour in a language you understand.
• You need a palace ticket (or the integrated ticket) as well as the Secret Garden ticket.

Getting there

Changdeokgung is a few minutes' walk from Anguk Station (Line 3, exit 3). Combine it with Changgyeonggung next door, Bukchon Hanok Village and Insadong.

Tips

• Best seasons: spring blossoms and autumn leaves, though summer greenery is lovely too.
• Wear comfortable shoes: the garden tour is on hilly paths.
• Hanbok gets you into the palace free, but not into the Secret Garden.

More palaces: Seoul's five palaces compared · Next door: Bukchon Hanok Village

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Sources checked: LoveKorea – Seoul palace tickets (checked October 2026).