Unhyeongung Palace, Cheong Wa Dae, Jogyesa Temple, Seoul, South Korea

There are many places to visit in Seoul that require no admission fee: parks, temples, villages, and...houses!

Unhyeongung Palace was owned by the father of Gojong, the 26th King of Joseon Dynasty, and it was where King Gojong grew up.

In the present, one can view the Noandang Hall, Norakdang Hall, Irodang Hall, and Sujiksa in Unhyeongung Palace. Noandang Hall was the men's quarters and Norakdang Hall was where the wedding ceremony of King Gojong and his wife was held. Both halls were built in 1864. Norakdang and Irodang Halls were the women's quarters. The latter was built in 1869. Sujiksa, located beside the main entrance, was the guard's quarters.

Some of the rooms in the halls are open for visitors to peek in (you cannot enter the rooms). Some rooms have items and figures to depict important people or events (such as a tea ceremony) or even just ordinary life (like kitchenware).

In Unhyeongung Palace, there is an exhibit hall where one can see items related to the palace such as garments worn by King Gojong and his wife.

Unhyeongung is located near three large palaces (Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Changgyeonggung). Compared to the three, Unhyeongung is very small. Not too many people visit Unhyeongung-or at least it was only me and two others when I visited Unhyeongung. If you're around the area, pop in Unhyeongung for some quiet time. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).