Attraction
Gyeongbokgung Palace
The first and largest royal palace of the Joseon dynasty, founded in 1395 and home to the throne hall Geunjeongjeon and the Gyeonghoeru banquet pavilion.
Jongmyo Shrine
The royal ancestral shrine of the Joseon dynasty, a UNESCO site since 1995, where the spirit tablets of kings and queens are kept in long, austere halls.
At a glance
- Type
- Royal ancestral shrine, UNESCO World Heritage Site
- Area
- Jongno, Seoul, South Korea
- Official site
- royal.khs.go.kr
Good to know
- Closed Tuesdays
- Guided tours on weekdays
- English tours
- Wheelchair rental
Why we recommend it
Jongmyo is the shrine where the Joseon royal family honoured the spirits of its deceased kings and queens, and it has a very different mood from the palaces nearby. It was founded in 1394, just after the dynasty moved its capital to Seoul, burned during the Japanese invasions of the 1590s and was rebuilt in the early 1600s. It became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995, and the ancestral rite performed here, Jongmyo Jerye, with its court music, is recognised separately as intangible heritage.
The main hall, Jeongjeon, is the reason to come. It is an extremely long, low wooden building with a series of identical chambers holding the spirit tablets of kings and their queens, set behind a broad stone courtyard. Its plain, repeated lines are often compared to modern architecture and give the place a calm, solemn feel. Yeongnyeongjeon, the second shrine hall, holds further tablets, and smaller buildings around the wooded grounds were used to prepare the rites. Paths through old trees connect them, and the whole site is quieter than the palaces.
The ritual is still held each year, traditionally on the first Sunday in May, when descendants of the royal family perform it in ceremonial dress with musicians and dancers. If you are in Seoul at that time, check the official schedule, as it draws large crowds.
How you visit depends on the day. On Saturdays, Sundays, public holidays and the last Wednesday of each month you can wander freely. On other weekdays entry is by guided tour only, with English tours at 10:00, 12:00, 14:00 and 16:00, each lasting about an hour. The shrine is closed on Tuesdays and hours vary by season. Admission is very inexpensive, and the guided tour is a good way to understand the rituals, so a weekday visit is worthwhile for first-timers.
Jongno 3-ga Station, served by Lines 1, 3 and 5, is a short walk from the main gate. The park in front of the shrine is a gathering place for older Seoulites, Changgyeonggung and Changdeokgung palaces lie just to the north, and Gwangjang Market and Ikseon-dong are a few minutes away.
Jongmyo Shrine FAQs
Can you visit Jongmyo without a guide?
Yes, on Saturdays, Sundays, public holidays and the last Wednesday of each month. On other open weekdays entry is by guided tour only.
When are the English tours?
English tours run at 10:00, 12:00, 14:00 and 16:00 on guided-tour days and last about an hour.
Which day is Jongmyo closed?
It is closed on Tuesdays.
When is the Jongmyo Jerye ritual?
It is traditionally held on the first Sunday in May; check the official schedule before you plan around it.
Why is it a UNESCO site?
It was listed in 1995 as an outstanding example of a Confucian royal shrine that has kept its form since the 16th century.
How long should you allow?
About an hour, which is the length of a guided tour.
How do you get there?
Take Line 1, 3 or 5 to Jongno 3-ga Station, Exit 8, which is a short walk away.
What is nearby?
Changdeokgung and Changgyeonggung palaces, Gwangjang Market and Ikseon-dong are all close.