Gyeonghoeru Pavilion of Gyeongbokgung Palace

Gyeonghoeru, built in a pond north-west of Geunjeongjeon Hall at Gyeongbokgung Palace, was where banquets were held on happy occasions of state or when envoys came. When Gyeongbokgung was first built the pavilion was small; it was rebuilt on a large scale in 1412, the twelfth year of King Taejong, when the pond was enlarged. It burned in the Imjin War, and only its stone pillars stood for some 270 years until it was rebuilt with the palace in 1867, the fourth year of Emperor Gojong. A square island was made in the pond with an embankment of long, well-dressed stones, the pavilion built on it, and three stone bridges laid to connect it with the land. It is a two-storey building seven bays wide and five deep, with a hipped-and-gabled roof. The brackets supporting the eaves take the simple form common in pavilions. The first Gyeonghoeru of Taejong's reign is said to have had its stone pillars richly carved with dragons when it was rebuilt under Seongjong, but when it was rebuilt under Gojong after the Imjin War it was given the plain square outer pillars and round inner pillars it has now. The ground floor is paved with square bricks and the upper floor laid with boards, the floor set at three different levels so that each person sat in the place befitting their rank. The largest pavilion on a single plan in Korea, it shows well the character of late Joseon pavilion architecture, simple yet lavishly decorated, and is a precious work of architectural heritage.

AI Translation

Visiting

Opening hours

November-February 09:00-17:00 (Last admission 16:00) March-May & September-October 09:00-18:00 (Last admission 17:00) June-August 09:00-18:30 (Last admission 17:30)

Closed

Tuesdays (If Tuesday falls on a public holiday, it will be closed on the following business day instead)

Parking

Available

Information

+82-2-3700-3900

Visitor information: Korea Tourism Organization · KOGL Type 1

Where it is

Region

Jongno-gu, Seoul

Designation

National Treasure · 국보