Unhyeongung Royal Residence, Seoul

Basic information

Designation

Historic Site No.257

Category

Sites & Pagodas

Era

조선시대 후기

Designated year

1977

Location

종로구, 서울특별시— 서울 종로구 삼일대로 460 (운니동)

Coordinates

37.576004, 126.987475

Unhyeongung Palace was the residence of Heungseon Daewongun, father and regent of Emperor Gojong. It is also the place where Emperor Gojong was born and grew up. The historic site includes Heungseon Daewongun's house and the western building, which was newly built in 1910 and was used as the main building of Duksung Women’s University. It is a Korean-style house, consisting of three parts. At the very front, to the south, there is Noandang (men’s quarters), once a residence of Daewongun. At the back, there are the servants' quarters lying east-west and at the north side there is the inner house, Norakdang. After the coronation of his son, Unhyeongung Palace became the political base of Heungseon Daewongun. There was a direct route connecting it to the King's Palace. During ten years of regency, Heungseon Daewongun made efforts to abolish the abuses of sedojeongchi, a form of politics in which the relatives of the royal family accrued political power, and brought about revolutionary reforms in such fields as personnel management and finance. He also reconstructed Gyeongbokgung Palace which had burned down in a fire during the Japanese Invasion in 1592. Today, a part of the palace is used by Duksung Women’s University and another part houses a broadcasting station. Due to such renovations, Ajaedang, a favorite quarter of Heungseon Daewongun, has been pulled down, and Yeonghwaru Pavilion has disappeared, along with the shrines for the Princes Eunsin and Namyeon.

Location