Seoul Palace Hours · Changdeokgung
Changdeokgung: hours, closing days and how to visit
UNESCO World Heritage. The Secret Garden needs a separate timed ticket.
Built in 1405 as a secondary palace, Changdeokgung served as the main royal residence for most of the Joseon era after Gyeongbokgung burned in 1592. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, inscribed in 1997, and its halls follow the shape of the hills rather than a strict grid.
Behind the palace lies the Secret Garden (Huwon). It is a separate ticket and can only be visited on a guided tour — the part of a Seoul palace visit that most needs planning.
- Closed
- Mondays — except when a public holiday moves it
- Hours
- 09:00, closing 17:30–18:30 by season · last entry one hour before
- Adult ticket
- ₩3,000 · Secret Garden ₩5,000 extra
- Nearest subway
- Anguk Station, Exit 3 (Line 3)
Opening hours
| Months | Open | Last entry | Closes |
|---|---|---|---|
| November–January | 09:00 | 16:30 | 17:30 |
| February–May, September–October | 09:00 | 17:00 | 18:00 |
| June–August | 09:00 | 17:30 | 18:30 |
Closing days
Changdeokgung closes every Monday. When a public holiday lands on a Monday, it opens for the holiday and the closure moves to the first following day that is not a holiday. Because Seollal and Chuseok follow the lunar calendar, those moved dates are different every year.
| Usually closed | Opens instead, for | Closed on |
|---|---|---|
| Monday, February 8, 2027 | Seollal holiday | Wednesday, February 10, 2027 provisional |
| Monday, March 1, 2027 | Independence Movement Day | Tuesday, March 2, 2027 provisional |
| Monday, June 7, 2027 | Memorial Day (substitute) | Tuesday, June 8, 2027 provisional |
| Monday, August 16, 2027 | Liberation Day (substitute) | Tuesday, August 17, 2027 provisional |
| Monday, October 4, 2027 | National Foundation Day (substitute) | Tuesday, October 5, 2027 provisional |
| Monday, October 11, 2027 | Hangeul Day (substitute) | Tuesday, October 12, 2027 provisional |
| Monday, December 27, 2027 | Christmas Day (substitute) | Tuesday, December 28, 2027 provisional |
November 2026
December 2026
January 2027 · provisional
OpenClosed Open, but normally a closing day
Put Changdeokgung closing days in your calendar. Subscribe once and moved closures appear on their own when the holiday data is updated.
Visiting the Secret Garden
- Guided tours only, about 90 minutes (about 70 minutes in July–August and December–February).
- Each tour takes 100 people: 50 places are sold online in advance and 50 at the ticket office on the day.
- English tours: 10:30, 11:30, 14:30 and 15:30 from March to November; 10:30, 11:30 and 14:30 from December to February.
- Japanese tours: Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays at 13:30. Chinese tours: Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 12:30.
- The Secret Garden ticket is ₩5,000 and you also need the ₩3,000 palace ticket — ₩8,000 in total for an adult. It is not included in the combined palace ticket.
- Korean nationals cannot join a foreign-language tour on their own, only when accompanying a foreign visitor.
Tickets and free entry
Adult admission is ₩3,000. A ₩6,000 combined ticket covers the four palaces and Jongmyo and stays valid for six months from purchase; it does not include Changdeokgung's Secret Garden.
- Korea Grand Festival, Oct 29 – Nov 15 2026: free for everyone on every open day. Regular closing days still apply.
- Wearing hanbok: free entry, every open day.
- Every Wednesday: free for everyone, since October 2026.
- None of these covers the Secret Garden, which always needs its own ticket.
What to see
- Donhwamun — the main gate.
- Injeongjeon — the throne hall.
- The Secret Garden — Buyongji and Aeryeonji ponds, Gwallamji, and Yeongyeongdang.
Getting there
| Station | Line | Exit | Walk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anguk Station | Line 3 | Exit 3 | 5 min walk |
| Jongno 3-ga Station | Lines 1, 3, 5 | Exit 7 | 10 min walk |
If it is closed when you are there
On an ordinary Monday, Gyeongbokgung and Jongmyo Shrine are open. A moved closing day can close several sites at once, so put your dates into the date checker to see which.
Questions
When is Changdeokgung closed?
Every Monday. When a Korean public holiday falls on a Monday, Changdeokgung opens that day and closes on the next non-holiday day instead, so check the exact date rather than the weekday. This page lists every moved closing day through 2027.
What are Changdeokgung's opening hours?
09:00–17:30 in November–January; 09:00–18:00 in February–May, September–October; 09:00–18:30 in June–August. Last admission is one hour before closing.
How do I visit the Secret Garden at Changdeokgung?
Only on a guided tour. English tours run at 10:30, 11:30, 14:30 and 15:30 from March to November (10:30, 11:30 and 14:30 in winter). Half of each tour is sold online in advance and half at the ticket office on the day, so book ahead for a specific time.
How much is the Secret Garden ticket?
₩5,000, plus the ₩3,000 palace ticket you need to reach it — ₩8,000 for an adult. The combined palace ticket does not include the Secret Garden.
How do I get to Changdeokgung by subway?
Take Line 3 to Anguk Station and use Exit 3 — about a five-minute walk.
Sources
Ceremony times, tour schedules, ticket rules and directions were checked against these official pages on Saturday, October 31, 2026. Closing days are computed from Korea's official holiday calendar.