Gyeongbokgung (also romanized as Kyongbok) is the largest and most important of Seoul's five grand palaces, originally built in 1395 by King Taejo, founder of the Joseon Dynasty. The palace was destroyed during the Japanese invasions of the 1590s, left in ruins for nearly three centuries, then lavishly rebuilt in the 1860s under the regent Heungseon Daewongun. Much of it was demolished again during the Japanese colonial period, and restoration work has been ongoing since the 1990s.
The Geunjeongjeon throne hall is the centrepiece -- a towering wooden structure on a stone platform surrounded by carved rank markers where court officials once stood in order of seniority. The Gyeonghoeru Pavilion, set on 48 stone pillars over a lotus pond, is equally striking. Don't miss the changing of the royal guard ceremony at Gwanghwamun Gate, held several times daily. The excellent National Palace Museum and the National Folk Museum are both on the grounds.