Best view in town

[CULTURAL HERITAGE ADMINISTRATION]

Gyeonghoeru Pavilion, located in the pond of Gyeongbok Palace, is the largest piece of palace architecture in Korea and National Treasure No. 224. This beautiful cultural heritage item, which was used to hold royal banquets and receive foreign officials, has been only allowed to be viewed from across the pond as public access is prohibited. But from April 1, the Cultural Heritage Administration said it will operate a special guided tour of the pavilion for the public for seven months until Oct. 31.

From next month, visitors who sign up for this special tour, which is being provided for free, will be able to access Gyeonghoeru Pavilion, go up to its second floor and enjoy the magnificent view of the palace from the top. The guided tour, which takes around 30 to 40 minutes, is being held three times a day during weekdays (10 a.m., 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.) and four times a day during the weekend (10 a.m., 11 a.m., 2 p.m., and 4 p.m.). A maximum of 100 people can sign up per tour. Bookings can be made online in Korean at www.royalpalace.go.kr and via telephone in English at (02) 3700-3904.