Seoul Palace Hours · Jongmyo Shrine
Jongmyo Shrine: hours, closing days and how to visit
UNESCO World Heritage royal shrine. Guided timed entry on weekdays.
Jongmyo is the royal ancestral shrine of the Joseon dynasty, where the memorial tablets of its kings and queens are kept. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, inscribed in 1995, and the royal ancestral rite and its music, Jongmyo Jerye and Jeryeak, are recognised by UNESCO as intangible heritage and are still performed here each year.
Unlike the palaces, Jongmyo is visited on a guided tour on most weekdays — check the entry rules below before you go.
- Closed
- Tuesdays — except when a public holiday moves it
- Hours
- 09:00, closing 17:30–18:30 by season · last entry one hour before
- Adult ticket
- ₩1,000
- Nearest subway
- Jongno 3-ga Station, Exit 11 or 8 (Lines 1, 3, 5)
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
Jongmyo Shrine closes every Tuesday. When a public holiday lands on a Tuesday, 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Tuesday, February 9, 2027 | Seollal (substitute) | Wednesday, February 10, 2027 provisional |
| Tuesday, September 14, 2027 | Chuseok holiday | Friday, September 17, 2027 provisional |
November 2026
December 2026
January 2027 · provisional
OpenClosed Open, but normally a closing day
Put Jongmyo Shrine closing days in your calendar. Subscribe once and moved closures appear on their own when the holiday data is updated.
How entry works
- Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday: guided tours only, starting at set times.
- English tours: 10:00, 12:00, 14:00 and 16:00.
- Japanese tours: 09:40, 11:40, 13:40 and 15:40. Chinese tours: 11:00 and 15:00.
- Saturdays, Sundays, public holidays and Culture Day (the last Wednesday of the month): walk in freely. Tours still run on Sundays and Culture Day if you want one.
- Each tour takes up to 200 people. Booking online in advance is recommended.
- Closed on Tuesdays — the same holiday rule as the palaces moves this closure.
Tickets and free entry
Adult admission is ₩1,000. 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, and walk-in visits instead of guided slots. Regular closing days still apply.
- Wearing hanbok: free entry, every open day.
- Every Wednesday: free for everyone, since October 2026.
- A free ordinary Wednesday still means guided timed entry: the fee is waived, not the tour. On Culture Day you can walk in.
What to see
- Jeongjeon — the main shrine hall.
- Yeongnyeongjeon — the Hall of Eternal Peace.
Getting there
| Station | Line | Exit | Walk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jongno 3-ga Station | Lines 1, 3, 5 | Exit 11 or 8 | 5 min walk |
If it is closed when you are there
On an ordinary Tuesday, Changdeokgung, Changgyeonggung and Deoksugung 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 Jongmyo Shrine closed?
Every Tuesday. When a Korean public holiday falls on a Tuesday, Jongmyo Shrine 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 Jongmyo Shrine'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.
Can I visit Jongmyo without a guided tour?
Only on Saturdays, Sundays, public holidays and on Culture Day, the last Wednesday of the month. On Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, entry is by guided tour at set times.
What time are the English tours at Jongmyo?
10:00, 12:00, 14:00 and 16:00. Japanese tours run at 09:40, 11:40, 13:40 and 15:40, and Chinese tours at 11:00 and 15:00.
How do I get to Jongmyo by subway?
Take Line 1, 3 or 5 to Jongno 3-ga Station and use Exit 11 or 8 — 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.