Changdeokgung Palace was built in 1405 during the reign of King Taejong of the Joseon Dynasty. The place was destroyed by the Japanese during the 1592-1598 invasion, but was reconstructed shortly after. It is now listed as a world heritage site.
The only bad part about this palace experience is that you couldn’t just wander on your own. The tour and guide were mandatory.
The Injeongjeon Hall or National Treasure is the greatest building in Changdeokgung. Official ceremonies and celebrations took place here.
The guide we chose ended up being entirely in Korean so be sure you pick the language appropriate guide.
The Buyongji area showcases a pond that ws created based on the traditional perception of the universe; that heaven is round and earth is rectangular. The pond is retangualr and the circular island in the middle represents heaven.
We thought this was the scholar tree, but nope we were wrong. It’s the Juniper Tree which is about 750 years old. The wood of the Juniper has a strong fragrance and was used to make incense for ancestral rites.
