Dongsipjagak

Dongsipjagak, a vestige of the royal palace

The Seoul audio-guided tour points out to you, in the heart of the traffic, a small monument isolated in the middle of a junction: Dongsipjagak, a former watchtower that was once part of the royal palace. A discreet but precious vestige of the rich past of the capital.

A watchtower of the Joseon dynasty

Built under the Joseon dynasty, this tower marked the corner of Gyeongbokgung Palace. The walls that connected it to the enclosure were destroyed during the Japanese occupation, which explains its present isolation in the middle of the road. One must imagine that at the time, the palace extended this far: the tower thus testifies to the considerable footprint of the former royal estate on the city.

What there is to see

The small pavilion, with its roof of curves typical of Korean buildings, surprises by its unusual position in the middle of the traffic. At night, it is adorned with beautiful lights that bring out the interior of its roof, decorated with the traditional colours of Korean temples. It is a brief but evocative stop, recalling the past extent of the palace.

Practical information

Dongsipjagak is at the eastern corner of the former Gyeongbokgung estate, in the north of central Seoul. The monument can be contemplated freely from the public space, by day and by night, when its lighting sets it off. It is a stop on the way to the palace.

What was Dongsipjagak originally?

It was a watchtower of Gyeongbokgung Palace, built under the Joseon dynasty, which marked its corner.

Why is it isolated in the middle of the road?

The walls that connected it to the palace were destroyed during the Japanese occupation, leaving it today isolated in the middle of a junction.