Changdeokgung is another of the royal palaces in Seoul. It means Palace of Illustrious Virtue and is a Unesco World Heritage property. It was built in the early 15th century as a secondary palace to Geyongbukgung, destroyed by the Japanese in the 1590s and rebuilt as the primary royal residence until 1872. It was used well into the 20th century.
Apparently, it's a popular place to take wedding photos.
The Secret Garden is part of Changdeokgung. Admission is by tour only and cost an additional W5000 (included in the Integrated ticket). You could reserve online or show up on the day to snag one of the remaining 50 tickets. The English tour is at 11:30 am and 3:30 pm. The tour takes 70-90 minutes and takes you into the inner sanctuary of the king, where only invited guests were allowed. It’s a very peaceful area with a park-like setting. There is a lot of walking, up and down hills.
At the end of the tour, we were shown a 700 year old juniper tree. This is near the main entrance.
2013 09 20
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