Which Seoul palaces are closed on Mondays or Tuesdays?
Gyeongbokgung and Jongmyo Shrine close on Tuesdays. Changdeokgung, Changgyeonggung, Deoksugung and Gyeonghuigung close on Mondays. So on any day of the week at least one palace is open. When a closing day is a public holiday, it usually shifts.
Updated 2026-10-15Closed on Tuesdays
Gyeongbokgung Palace is closed every Tuesday. Visit Seoul notes that if a public holiday falls on the closing day, the palace opens and closes on the next non-holiday instead. Jongmyo Shrine, the royal ancestral shrine near Jongno, is also closed on Tuesdays, with the same kind of holiday shift. If you only have a Tuesday free, plan for Changdeokgung, Changgyeonggung or Deoksugung instead.
Closed on Mondays
Changdeokgung, Changgyeonggung, Deoksugung and Gyeonghuigung are closed on Mondays. Deoksugung's royal guard ceremony at Daehanmun Gate is not held on Mondays either. If a Monday is a public holiday, Deoksugung and Changdeokgung generally open and close the next business day instead, but check before you go. On Mondays, Gyeongbokgung is your best choice, and Jongmyo is open for guided tours.
Jongmyo has special visiting rules
According to Visit Seoul, on Mondays and Wednesday to Friday, Jongmyo can only be visited on timed guided tours, with set times for English, Japanese and Chinese tours. Free self-guided visits are possible on Saturdays, Sundays, public holidays and the last Wednesday of each month. Tours have a visitor limit, so arrive early or reserve ahead, and check current tour times on the official site.
Free entry in hanbok
Visit Seoul says all five palaces, Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Changgyeonggung, Deoksugung and Gyeonghuigung, waive admission for visitors wearing hanbok, including on holidays and special event days. Gyeongbokgung's listing specifies a complete hanbok and points to its official hanbok guidelines. Gyeonghuigung is free for everyone anyway. Rules for Jongmyo and for special night programs can differ, so check before you go.
People also ask
Which palace is open on Monday?
Gyeongbokgung. Jongmyo Shrine is also open on Mondays, but only on guided tours.
What are Gyeongbokgung's opening hours?
Visit Seoul lists 9:00 to 17:00 in November to February, 9:00 to 18:00 in March to May and September to October, and 9:00 to 18:30 in June to August, with last entry one hour before closing.
Do I need to book the Changdeokgung Secret Garden?
The Secret Garden is visited on separate timed sessions, and Visit Seoul says reservations go through the official reservation service. Book ahead if you can.