Gyeongbokgung Palace
SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA, 1395 – PRESENT
The story of Gyeongbokgung is full of splendour and hardship. As the largest of the Five Grand Palaces that were constructed by the Joseon Dynasty it was the primary residence and seat of government for most of the era, but that also made it the target of numerous attacks right up to the early 20th century.
The first parts of Gyeongbokgung, which translates as Palace of the Crown Prince, were built in 1395 in what is now northern Seoul about three years into the reign of King Taejo, but it continued to expand in the years that followed.
Much of the site has now been given protected UNESCO status, but many parts have been through several reconstructions as a result of damage either accidental or deliberate. The first such incident of note were fires around 1553 that destroyed several major buildings, but these were restored the following year.
What followed 40 years later was tougher to recover from, namely the Japanese invasions lead by Toyotomi Hideyoshi between 1592–1598 (known as the Imjin War). The destruction of property at Gyeongbokgung was significant enough that the Joseon kings left the palace and moved to Changdeokgung instead, leaving Gyeongbokgung abandoned for 273 years.
The royal family did finally return in 1867 and the palace was restored to its former glory at the behest of Prince Regent Heungseon during the reign of King Gojong. Three hundred and thirty buildings and 5,792 rooms were restored.
However, when Queen Min was assassinated by Japanese agents in 1895, King Gojong left the palace and the Joseon Dynasty would never return. Years of Japanese occupation from 1910 onwards saw more buildings torn down, often for materials to be used elsewhere, but a process of restoration has been ongoing since 1989 and about 40 per cent of the site is now believed to have been completed.