Jongmyo Shrine (종묘)
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Jeongjeon, the main hall and location of spirit chambers
Know Before You Go
If you are visiting on weekdays or Sundays, you must join a tour. If you want to visit without a guided tour, plan on visiting on Saturdays.
This palace is included with the Integrated Ticket Of Palaces.
Jongmyo (종묘) is the supreme shrine of the state. Royal ancestors tablets are enshrined here and memorial services are performed for kings and queens of the Joseon Dynasty.
Construction, ordered by King Taejo, was completed in 1395, before the completion of Gyeongbokgung Palace. Destroyed by the Japanese invasion in 1592, it was rebuilt in 1608.
Three years of mourning followed the death of a king or queen. After this period, a memorial tablet for the deceased was enshrined at Jongmyo. When more space was needed, the shrine was expanded.
Walking Through Jongmyo Shrine
The most prestigious kings who lived a life of virtue were enshrined in Jeongjeon Hall, the main hall. To this day, Jeongjeon houses 49 tables and 19 spirit chambers of past kings. The tablets of King Yeonsangun and King Gwanghaegun are not located here, as they were ousted from the throne.
Yeongnyeongjeon Hall, or Hall of Eternal Peace, houses an additional 34 tablets and 16 spirit chambers, including four generations of King Taejo's ancestors and those crowned kings after their death.
Jongmyo is one of the only shrines in Asia that has preserved its royal shrine, and to this day continues the same traditions of honoring them through ancestral rites known as Jongmyo Jaerye. Today, Jongmyo Jaerye is performed on the first Sunday in May, and is one of the oldest ceremonies in the world.
Men Playing Chess Outside The Main Gate
Jongmyo Jerye, or the Royal Ancestral Rite, was an important state ritual conducted by the king five times a year at Jeongjeon Hall and two times a year at Yeongnyeongjeon Hall. These were attended by the prince, military goverment officials, and high ranking civilians and involved music, singing, and dancing.
The design of Jongmyo as seen today is simple which emphasizes serenity and the deep meaning of life and death of Joseon Dynasty authority.
Jongmyo Shrine became a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1995.
Spirit chambers
What To See
Akgongcheong - Musician's pavilion used as a dressing room 
Chanmakdan - Table used to inspect food before rituals
Chilsadang - A place of prayer and the location of spirit tablets
Gongminwang Sindang Shrine - Small shrine honoring King Gongmin and his wife Nogukdaejang Gongju
Gongsindang (Hall Of Meritorious Officials) - Location of the tablets of royal officials
Hyangdaecheong - Storage room holding supplies used during rituals
Jaegung Area - Area where king and crown prince would prepare for rituals 
Jejeong Well - Well that supplied water used during rituals and sacrifices
Jeongjeon Hall - The main hall of Jongmyo consisting of 19 spirit chambers
Mangmyoru Pavilion - Resting area for the king prior to ancestral rituals
Seongsaengwi - Table used to inspect sacrificial animals before rituals
Subokbang - Living quarters of the guards
Yeongnyeongjeon (Hall Of Eternal Peace) - Hall with 16 spirit chambers including those of King Taejo and his ancestorsDirections And Getting There
Option 1
Take Subway Line 1 to Jongno-3-ga Station (Exit 11).
Option 2
Take Subway Line 3 or Line 5 to Jongno-3-ga Station (Exit 8).
Operating Hours
March - September : 9:00 - 18:00
October - February : 9:00 - 17:30
Ticket office closes 1 hour before closing time.
Except for Saturdays, visitors to Jongmyo Shrine must join a guided tour.
Guided tours in English are at 10:00, 12:00, 14:00, 16:00.
Closed on Tuesdays.
Admission Fees
Adult (19+) : 1,000 won
Child : 500 won
This palace is included with the Integrated Ticket Of Palaces.
Map
GPS Coordinates (Longitude and Latitude) : 37.57223, 126.99473.
