Exploring Jongmyo Shrine: A UNESCO World Heritage Site - Review, Information, and Tips
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Jongmyo Shrine Free Visit Review
Public Parking, Admission Hours, Entrance Fee, Guided Tour Information
Jongmyo Jeongjeon (Main Hall)
Hello, I'm Bboquito, a travel enthusiast!
Among the royal palaces in Korea, Jongmyo is my favorite.
From the moment you step inside, you'll feel
an extreme sense of tranquility, the elegant harmony of nature and architecture.
This special, almost healing atmosphere is why
I've loved Jongmyo for so long.
Since guided tours are mandatory on weekdays during specific times,
I chose to visit during the weekend for a free tour
so I could take my time, appreciate the scenery,
and take pictures.
Prepare to be amazed by the incredibly beautiful sights of Jongmyo!
Get ready to have your jaw drop!
Jongmyo Jeongjeon (Main Hall)
Jongmyo Visit Information
Admission Hours:
09:00 - 18:30 (Closed every Tuesday)
Admission Fee:
Adults (25-64 years old): ₩1,000
Foreigners (19-64 years old): ₩1,000
Free admission for those under 24, over 65, disabled individuals, veterans, and those wearing Hanbok (traditional Korean clothing).
How to Visit:
Saturdays, Sundays, and Holidays: Free General Admission
Weekdays: Time-designated tours with a guide (1 hour)
Parking:
Use the Jongmyo Public Parking Lot
₩2,400 for 30 minutes
Korea is a great country!!!
The entrance fee for both locals and foreigners is the same, only ₩1,000!
Even free if you wear Hanbok...
So that's why there were so many people wearing Hanbok in Jongno..?
When traveling abroad, there are many countries that charge foreigners
more than double the entrance fee. It's really unfair.
Even Switzerland does the same.
I think it's very desirable to lower the barriers to entry
to such beautiful and magnificent historical sites
like in Korea.
Detailed Jongmyo Visit Time Information
Unlike other palaces, Jongmyo has a unique way of visiting.
During the weekdays, there are time-designated tours with a guide (reservations recommended),
and weekends are for free visits, so please refer to the table above.
Free Jongmyo Visit with Audio Guide
I love Jongmyo so much that this was my Nth visit,
but this time, I decided to thoroughly explore
the historical stories of Jongmyo with my husband.
Since the weekday tours with a guide are time-limited,
we chose to visit at our own pace on the weekend
and listen to the audio guide.
Highly satisfied!
It had 16 tracks, totaling 42 minutes, and cost only ₩11,000.
It could be replayed an unlimited number of times for 30 days.
The audio guide was by cultural commentator Choi Dong-gun,
and his storytelling skills were amazing.
We walked around Jongmyo for over an hour on our free tour,
and listening to the audio guide at each spot made it easy to understand.
I'll share the link for those interested in the audio guide.
How to Get to Jongmyo Shrine
Jongmyo is located in downtown Seoul, making it very accessible.
Seosulla-gil nearby is becoming a popular spot,
and Gwangjang Market and Cheonggyecheon Stream are also close,
making it a great area for a leisurely date
and a walking tour.
Subway
Lines 1, 3, 5 Jongno 3-ga Station Exit 11 → 3-minute walk
Line 1 Jonggak Station Exit 3 → 10-minute walk
Line 5 Jongno 5-ga Station Exit 8 → 10-minute walk
Bus
Get off at Jongmyo Public Parking Lot Stop (buses 100, 143, 201, etc.)
Car
Paid parking available at Jongmyo Public Parking Lot
Parking Fees
30 minutes: ₩2,400
60 minutes: ₩4,800
120 minutes: ₩9,600
240 minutes: ₩19,200
We chose the subway on this day because we wanted to walk to Gwangjang Market and Cheonggyecheon Stream!
As always, a game of Korean chess was being played on the street.
A unique Korean scene...
I definitely want to show my foreign friends
both the outside and inside of Jongmyo...
Even though it says not to feed the pigeons,
the pigeons are happy thanks to those who feed them.
Now....
Finally entering Jongmyo...
I'm already so happy.
There weren't many people because it was a late Sunday afternoon.
Walking path at the entrance of Jongmyo
Jongmyo Shrine: A UNESCO World Heritage Site Representing Korea
Jongmyo Shrine is a shrine where the ancestral tablets of the Joseon Dynasty's past kings and queens are enshrined
and where ancestral rites are performed.
It was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995
and is recognized worldwide as a special place
where Korean architecture, rituals, and music come together in harmony.
Unlike the ornate palaces, Jongmyo Shrine best represents Korea's spirit of 'Ye (禮)' (etiquette, propriety)
through its simple and solemn atmosphere,
making it a valuable cultural heritage to recommend to foreigners.
Now, let's appreciate it like a panoramic photo!
Hyangdaecheong: Storage for Ritual Offerings
Jaegung: Place for Preparing Rites
Jeonsacheong: Place for Preparing Ritual Food
Gongminwang Shrine
Yeongnyeongjeon: Separate Shrine Housing Ancestral Tablets
Yeongnyeongjeon
Jeongjeon (Main Hall) is where the ancestral tablets are enshrined
after the three-year mourning period is observed in the palace
after the king and queen pass away.
It's the most central place in Jongmyo.
In person, its grandeur and solemnity leave you speechless...
It's impossible to capture it in one camera shot.
Jeongjeon is said to be the longest wooden building in the world.
The wide platform, 109m wide and 69m long,
expresses the dignity and grandeur of Jeongjeon well.
Jeongjeon (Main Hall)
Jeongjeon (Main Hall)
Jeongjeon (Main Hall)
Jeongjeon (Main Hall)
Mangmyoru is said to have been named with the meaning that the king looks at the shrine and commemorates the late king
and thinks about the people and Jongmyo Sajik (the state).
It blends in so well with nature,
adding to the depth of time.
Mangmyoru
There are especially many juniper trees in Jongmyo.
A festival of dancing branches...
Thoughts that come to mind especially while walking around Jongmyo..
Why do the colors and structures
look so trendy
even after so many years?
Everything feels like a work of art.
Admiration, and more admiration.
Jongmyo Viewing Points
1. The longest wooden building in the world -
Jeongjeon (Main Hall) is simple yet magnificent.
2. Solemn atmosphere -
Unlike the ornate palaces, it has a calm and quiet walking path.
3. Guided tours on weekdays, audio guide recommended for free tours on weekends -
4. Combine with surrounding attractions -
Suitable for a day trip with Gwangjang Market, Cheonggyecheon Stream, Seosulla-gil, Insadong, and Bukchon Hanok Village.
This has been Bboquito, who was fully healed by visiting Jongmyo.
Other domestic travel articles worth reading by Bboquito
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