Jongmyo Shrine

종묘

Today

Why go

The state shrine that enshrines the spirit tablets of the kings and queens of Joseon and the Korean Empire, and where rites are held for them. It became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995. On Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays you can enter only at set times with a guide, so check the day of the week first.

Admission

₩1,000Adults — foreign visitors aged 19–64 (Korean nationals aged 25–64)

Ways in free

  • Free in hanbok — you need both a jeogori top and a bottom (a skirt or trousers). The same applies to foreigners.
  • Free for foreign visitors aged 18 and under
  • Free for foreign visitors aged 65 and over

Combined ticket ₩6,000· The 4 palaces (Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Changgyeonggung, Deoksugung) + Jongmyo Shrine, excluding the Changdeokgung Secret Garden (Huwon) · valid for 6 months from the date of purchase

Buy at the gate — no booking needed.

Experiences

Jongmyo guided entry (the only way in on Mon, Thu, Fri)

Korean
09:20 · 10:20 · 11:20 · 12:20 · 13:20 · 14:20 · 15:20 · 16:20 · 50 min each
Korean
16:40 · 50 min each
Korean
10:00 · 11:00 · 13:00 · 14:00 · 15:00 · 50 min each
English
10:00 · 12:00 · 14:00 · 16:00 · 50 min each
Japanese
09:40 · 11:40 · 13:40 · 15:40 · 50 min each
Chinese
11:00 · 15:00 · 50 min each

On Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays you enter at a set time with a guide and look around for about 50 minutes. On these days you cannot enter freely on your own. However, when a severe weather warning is issued, it switches to open, unguided viewing and tours are shortened or cancelled. Tours leave in English at 10:00, 12:00, 14:00 and 16:00, in Japanese at 09:40, 11:40, 13:40 and 15:40, and in Chinese at 11:00 and 15:00. Groups of fewer than 10 need no booking and can just buy tickets at the ticket office. Wednesdays, Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays are open-viewing days, when you can walk in on your own without a guide. There are tours on these days too, which you can join if you time it right. On Saturdays and public holidays, tours are in Korean only, at 10:00, 11:00, 13:00, 14:00 and 15:00.

Jongmyo Jerye royal ancestral rite

No fixed time

Jongmyo Jerye, the ancestral rite of the Joseon royal family, is now held every year on the first Sunday of May and the first Saturday of November. Along with the rite, Jongmyo Jeryeak, with instruments, song and dance, is performed. Check the times and how to watch each year in the Royal Palaces and Tombs Center notices.

Free entry in hanbok

No fixed time

If you wear hanbok, foreign visitors also enter free. Modern everyday hanbok counts too. You need to wear a jeogori top with a wrap collar together with a skirt or trousers. A jeogori thrown over jeans does not count.

Highlights

History

Jongmyo Shrine (宗廟, Jongmyo) was built on its present site in 1395 (the 4th year of King Taejo), following the rule of ritual that places the royal ancestral shrine to the left of the palace and the state altar, Sajik, to the right. At first there was only the building that is now Jeongjeon. As the number of spirit tablets to enshrine grew, Yeongnyeongjeon, a separate shrine, was built beside Jeongjeon in 1421 (the 3rd year of King Sejong).

When a king or queen died and the 3-year mourning period ended, their spirit tablet was first enshrined in Jeongjeon, and it was then decided whether it would stay in Jeongjeon or move to Yeongnyeongjeon. The shrine burned in the Imjin War of 1592 and was rebuilt in 1608. Bays were added each time the spirit tablets increased, and by 1836 it reached its present size: 19 bays for Jeongjeon and 16 for Yeongnyeongjeon.

Jongmyo Jerye, the royal ancestral rite, which had stopped in 1945, began to be performed again in 1969. Jongmyo was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995, and Jongmyo Jerye and Jongmyo Jeryeak, its ritual music, were inscribed as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2001.

The grounds divide into Jeongjeon and Yeongnyeongjeon, where the rites are held, and Jaegung, Hyangdaecheong, Jeonsacheong and Mangmyoru, where the rites were prepared. Jeongjeon enshrines the spirit tablets of 19 kings and 30 queens, and in the front courtyard of Jeongjeon stands Gongsindang, which holds the memorial tablets of 83 meritorious subjects of Joseon. The buildings are pared of decoration, reflecting Confucian frugality.

Getting there

  • Lines 1/3/5 Jongno 3(sam)-ga Station · Exit 115 min walk

서울특별시 종로구 종로 157

Lot no. · 서울특별시 종로구 훈정동

Make a taxi card

Where next

In these lists

Tips

  • Jongmyo is closed on Tuesdays. That is a different day from Changdeokgung and Deoksugung, which close on Mondays.
  • If you go on a Monday, Thursday or Friday, you can only get in by matching a tour time. To use your time freely, Wednesday, Saturday or Sunday is easier.
  • Koreans may join the foreign-language tours only when they come with a foreign visitor, and to film or record the commentary you need the guide’s permission.
  • Jongmyo has no parking, so you need to use Jongno-gu’s paid Jongmyo Public Parking Lot. It is a 5-minute walk from Exit 11 or Exit 8 of Jongno 3(sam)-ga Station.
Show details
Address
서울특별시 종로구 종로 157
Hours
Jan · Nov–Dec 09:00–17:30Feb–May · Sep–Oct 09:00–18:00Jun–Aug 09:00–18:30
Last entry
Jan · Nov–Dec 16:30Feb–May · Sep–Oct 17:00Jun–Aug 17:30
Closed
Closed Tue — if Tue is a public holiday it opens and closes the next weekday instead
Admission
₩1,000

Sources