Gyeonggijeon history tour (guided)
- Korean
- 10:00 · 11:00 · 14:00 · 15:00 · 16:00 · 60 min each
- English
- 11:00 · 14:00 · 60 min each
- Chinese
- 11:00 · 14:00 · 60 min each
- Japanese
- 11:00 · 14:00 · 60 min each
Gyeonggijeon Shrine
경기전
Today
Why go
Gyeonggijeon Shrine (慶基殿) enshrines the royal portrait of King Taejo, Yi Seong-gye, who founded the Joseon dynasty. It was first built in 1410, and the present building was rebuilt in 1614.
Admission
₩3,000Adults, individual (anyone who is not a Jeonju or Wanju resident)
Ways in free
- Free on the last Wednesday of every month ('Culture Day')
Buy at the gate — no booking needed.
Experiences
Highlights
History
In 1410 King Taejong built halls to enshrine King Taejo's portrait in three places, Jeonju, Gyeongju and Pyeongyang, and called them Eoyongjeon (御容殿). In 1442, under King Sejong, the three were given different names: Jeonju's became Gyeonggijeon, Gyeongju's Jipgyeongjeon and Pyeongyang's Yeongsungjeon.
Jogyeongmyo (肇慶廟), north of the main hall, is a shrine built in 1771 under King Yeongjo. It holds the spirit tablets of Yi Han (李翰), a Minister of Works of Silla and the founder of the Jeonju Yi clan, who was King Taejo's ancestor 22 generations back, and of his wife.
A bamboo grove also famous as a drama filming location, stone-wall paths, pine woods and plum trees blend with the hanok buildings. Walk in through the Hongsalmun gate and you find the main hall in the center, the Jeonju Sago Archive to the east, and to the west the auxiliary buildings where the portrait was guarded and rites were held. Next to Jogyeongmyo in the north is the Royal Portrait Museum, which tells the history of King Taejo's portrait.
Getting there
전북특별자치도 전주시 완산구 태조로 44
Lot no. · 전북특별자치도 전주시 완산구 풍남동3가 102
Where next
Photos
Tips
- Opening hours vary by season: 09:00–19:00 in March–May and September–October, 09:00–20:00 in June–August, and 09:00–18:00 in November–February. Entry closes 1 hour before closing time.
- Admission is free on the last Wednesday of every month ('Culture Day'). On the fourth Saturday of every month ('Jeonju Hanbok Day'), admission is 50% off.
- Culture and tourism guides lead a Gyeonggijeon history tour every day. Tours in Korean leave at 10:00, 11:00, 14:00, 15:00 and 16:00, and tours in English, Chinese and Japanese at 11:00 and 14:00, from the Hongsalmun gate just inside the main gate; each takes 1 hour.
- In the evening, the 'Walk with the King' program, which tells history through one-act plays, is sometimes held. Check the schedule with Jeonju City tourism information.
Show details
- Address
- 전북특별자치도 전주시 완산구 태조로 44
- Hours
- Jan–Feb · Nov–Dec 09:00–18:00Mar–May · Sep–Oct 09:00–19:00Jun–Aug 09:00–20:00
- Last entry
- Jan–Feb · Nov–Dec 17:00Mar–May · Sep–Oct 18:00Jun–Aug 19:00
- Admission
- ₩3,000