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 Changdeokgung was built in the 5th year (1405) of the reign of King Taejong of
the Joseon Dynasty, as a separate palace of Gyeongbokgung, the original main
palace of the dynasty. Located to the east of Gyeongbokgung, it has also been
called Donggwol, the east palace. Gyeongbokgung and Changdeokgung were burned
down during the Japanese invasion of Korea in 1592.
Changdeokgung was
reconstructed in 1609 and served as the royal seat for 300 years until the
reconstruction of Gyeongbokgung at the end of the Joseon Dynasty.
Overall, Changdeokgung is divided into administrative quarters, residential
quarters and the rear garden. The administrative existing encompass Donhwamun,
the front gate, which is the oldest extant palace structure, Injeongjeon, the
throne hall, and Seonjeongjeon, the administrative hall. The residential
quarters include Huijeongdang and Daejojeon, the king's and queen's bedchambers,
the royal kitchen, the infirmary and other annexes. The rear garden has
exquisite pavilions, the court archives and library and lotus ponds.
Changdeokgung is well tuned to its natural backdrop of hilly terrain and
lush woods. Taking advantage of the surroundings, the palace's magnificent
halls, pavilions, and rear garden are laid out in a rather liberal way, which
makes it a landmark of palace architecture and garden landscaping.
The rear
garden is adorned with precious trees, of which some are now 300 years old. It
represents the zenith of Korean garden landscaping techniques. The royal family
and court functionaries enjoyed here both reposeful moments and garden
entertainment here.
For the unique configuration of its palatial buildings and its rear
garden, showing an ideal example of Oriental architecture yet quite distinct
from the Chinese Zijin-cheng Palace, Forbidden Palace, or the Japanese imperial
palace, Changdeokgung was registered on UNESCO's World Cultural Heritage List in
December 1997.
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