The Side Paths of Changgyeonggung and Jongmyo Blocked by Ilje Reopen

Starting Tomorrow, Yulgok-ro Entrance and Jongmyo North Gate Opened

The road that the Japanese colonial government blocked between Seoul's Changgyeonggung Palace and Jongmyo Shrine will be reopened.

The Cultural Heritage Administration's Palace and Royal Tombs Headquarters announced on the 8th that starting from the 9th, the Yulgok-ro entrance gate of Changgyeonggung and the north gate of Jongmyo will be opened.

Originally, Changgyeonggung and Jongmyo were connected by a forest separated only by a single wall. In 1932, the Japanese colonial government constructed the Jongmyo through-road (Yulgok-ro), dividing the two.

Changgyeonggung and Jongmyo are spaces highly valued by the Joseon Dynasty. The former, along with Changdeokgung, was called Donggwol (Eastern Palaces) and served as the residence for the royal family. The latter is a shrine that enshrines the spirit tablets of kings and queens, including those posthumously honored as kings and queens.

Since November 2010, the Seoul Metropolitan Government has been carrying out the "Changgyeonggung-Jongmyo Connection Historical Restoration Project." They placed the existing Yulgok-ro underground and created a promenade above it, completing the palace wall path in 2022.

After more than two years of preparation, the path connecting both sides has opened, but the gates will be opened on a limited basis. This measure considers the historical significance of Jongmyo and the current visitation system. Jongmyo is a solemn space where ancestral rites are performed. During the Joseon era, access was strictly controlled. Even now, unlike other palaces such as Changgyeonggung, visits are conducted on a weekday time schedule.

The Palace and Royal Tombs Headquarters will specially open the Yulgok-ro palace wall path gates daily during the "2024 Autumn Royal Culture Festival" from the 9th to the 13th. After that, the gates will be open every Saturday, Sunday, public holiday, and on Culture Day (the last Wednesday of every month). However, visitors must purchase separate admission tickets to enter Changgyeonggung and Jongmyo respectively.