The Gyeongbokgung and Changgyeonggung palaces will be open at night for six days in February, allowing visitors to appreciate the nocturnal beauty of two of Joseon's (1392-1910) royal palaces for the first time this year.
The winter night opening for Gyeongbokgung is scheduled between February 11 and 16, while that for Changgyeonggung is from February 10 to 15. According to the year's seasonal night tour schedule, the spring nighttime opening will take place for 12 days in May and the summer opening is scheduled for 12 days in August. The palaces will also be open in the autumn for 12 days in October and November.
The winter night opening hours are from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Gyeongbokgung Palace and entry to the place is allowed until 8 p.m. The hours at Changgyeonggung Palace are between 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. The last entry to the palace is at 9 p.m.
A total of 2,200 visitors are allowed to enter each palace per evening. One person can purchase up to two tickets. Online reservations are required for most visitors, but senior citizens aged 65 or older and international tourists can purchase tickets on site or by phone.
Online reservations can be made at Auction Ticket (http://ticket.auction.co.kr) and at Interpark Ticket (http://ticket.interpark.com/) beginning at 2 p.m. on February 4. Those who make reservations online or by phone can claim their tickets by showing their ID card at the ticket office on the day of their scheduled visit. Entrance costs KRW 3,000 for Gyeongbokgung Palace and KRW 1,000 for Changgyeonggung Palace.
The opening hours for the National Palace Museum of Korea, inside the grounds at Gyeongbokgung Palace, will also be extended to 9 p.m. from February 11 to 15, in line with the night opening. The palace museum is closed on February 16. Entry to the museum is free.
Separately, Korea National Heritage Online (www.heritage.go.kr), an integrated digital content service designed to raise awareness of Korea's cultural heritage, will be upgraded to provide more information.
The portal consists of an online cultural heritage exhibition, a section with historical records and a cultural heritage education section, among others, and provides explanations, photos, videos, blueprints and research material.
With the upgrade, a total of 33,727 photographs and 88,315 blueprints will be available for commercial use on the condition that their source is disclosed. Ten videos containing subtitles, voice narrations and sign language will be aired at Korea National Heritage Online and on Bokji TV.
In addition, the redesigned cultural heritage education section has added 30 new items of content and two new programs. The cultural heritage 3-D program offers high-quality 3-D videos and the cultural heritage story program provides a range of cultural heritage from different regions.
On January 19, the section with historical records, in particular, will start offering photo images and texts of the "Uigwe," that is, the "Royal Protocols of the Joseon Dynasty," and of the "Seungjeongwon Ilgi," or the "Diaries of the Royal Secretariat," both of which were kept at the royal court libraries, including the Gyujanggak and the Jangseogak.
By Limb Jae-un
Korea.net Staff Writer
Photos courtesy of the Cultural Heritage Administration
jun2@korea.kr
The winter night opening for Gyeongbokgung is scheduled between February 11 and 16, while that for Changgyeonggung is from February 10 to 15. According to the year's seasonal night tour schedule, the spring nighttime opening will take place for 12 days in May and the summer opening is scheduled for 12 days in August. The palaces will also be open in the autumn for 12 days in October and November.
The Heungryemun Gate at Gyeongbokgung Palace (top) and the Heunghwamun Gate at Changgyeonggung Palace will be lit at night during February this year.
The winter night opening hours are from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Gyeongbokgung Palace and entry to the place is allowed until 8 p.m. The hours at Changgyeonggung Palace are between 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. The last entry to the palace is at 9 p.m.
A total of 2,200 visitors are allowed to enter each palace per evening. One person can purchase up to two tickets. Online reservations are required for most visitors, but senior citizens aged 65 or older and international tourists can purchase tickets on site or by phone.
Online reservations can be made at Auction Ticket (http://ticket.auction.co.kr) and at Interpark Ticket (http://ticket.interpark.com/) beginning at 2 p.m. on February 4. Those who make reservations online or by phone can claim their tickets by showing their ID card at the ticket office on the day of their scheduled visit. Entrance costs KRW 3,000 for Gyeongbokgung Palace and KRW 1,000 for Changgyeonggung Palace.
The opening hours for the National Palace Museum of Korea, inside the grounds at Gyeongbokgung Palace, will also be extended to 9 p.m. from February 11 to 15, in line with the night opening. The palace museum is closed on February 16. Entry to the museum is free.
Separately, Korea National Heritage Online (www.heritage.go.kr), an integrated digital content service designed to raise awareness of Korea's cultural heritage, will be upgraded to provide more information.
The portal consists of an online cultural heritage exhibition, a section with historical records and a cultural heritage education section, among others, and provides explanations, photos, videos, blueprints and research material.
Korea National Heritage Online (www.heritage.go.kr) is an online portal for Korea's cultural heritage.
With the upgrade, a total of 33,727 photographs and 88,315 blueprints will be available for commercial use on the condition that their source is disclosed. Ten videos containing subtitles, voice narrations and sign language will be aired at Korea National Heritage Online and on Bokji TV.
In addition, the redesigned cultural heritage education section has added 30 new items of content and two new programs. The cultural heritage 3-D program offers high-quality 3-D videos and the cultural heritage story program provides a range of cultural heritage from different regions.
On January 19, the section with historical records, in particular, will start offering photo images and texts of the "Uigwe," that is, the "Royal Protocols of the Joseon Dynasty," and of the "Seungjeongwon Ilgi," or the "Diaries of the Royal Secretariat," both of which were kept at the royal court libraries, including the Gyujanggak and the Jangseogak.
By Limb Jae-un
Korea.net Staff Writer
Photos courtesy of the Cultural Heritage Administration
jun2@korea.kr
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