'Changgyeonggung-Jongmyo' Connected After 90 Years of Japanese Disruption... Open to Public on 22nd

Separated by a fence but once connected as one forest, split by Japanese opening Yulgok-ro in 1932
Connected by an 8,000㎡ green space larger than a soccer field... Restoration of the original palace fence torn down by the Japanese and Bukseomun Gate

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] Jongmyo is a royal shrine housing the spirit tablets of Joseon’s kings and queens and is a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site. Originally, it was connected as one forest with Changgyeonggung Palace, separated only by a fence. However, in 1932, the Japanese colonial government constructed the ‘Jongmyo Passage Road’ (now ‘Yulgok-ro’), dividing Changgyeonggung and Jongmyo. During this process, the ‘Buksinmun (North Spirit Gate)’, which the king used unofficially when visiting Jongmyo, also disappeared.

On the 20th, the Seoul Metropolitan Government reconnected Changgyeonggung and Jongmyo, which had been separated by the Japanese for 90 years. Yulgok-ro, which had cut off the two sites, was put underground, and a green space larger than a soccer field (8,000㎡) was created above it, restoring the broken green corridor. The palace fence (503m) and Buksinmun between Changgyeonggung and Jongmyo, which had been destroyed by the Japanese, were restored as close to their original form as possible. For the palace fence, more than 30% of the stone materials and foundation stones of the old Jongmyo fence excavated during construction were reused.

A new 340m-long, 3m-wide ‘Palace Fence Path’ (Donhwamun to Wonnam-dong Intersection) was also created along the restored palace fence, allowing visitors to stroll while feeling the footsteps of the Joseon royal family. The path was designed with gentle slopes without stairs or thresholds for the convenience of the elderly, pregnant women, and people with disabilities, and an elevator connecting to the walking path was installed at Wonnam-dong Intersection.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced the completion of the ‘Changgyeonggung-Jongmyo Connection Historical Restoration Project’ with these details. The restored fence, green space, and newly created Palace Fence Path will open to the public from the 22nd. This marks 12 years since Mayor Oh Se-hoon first broke ground on the project in May 2011, aiming to restore the history of the ancient capital Seoul and enhance its cultural dignity. Mayor Oh will hold a public opening event on the 21st, one day before the official opening.

The greatest significance of this historical restoration lies in returning Jongmyo, which was once organically connected to the Eastern Palaces (Changdeokgung and Changgyeonggung) but had become isolated like an island due to the Japanese construction of Yulgok-ro, to the space planned and built by the ancestors, thereby restoring the historical and traditional value of Joseon’s palaces and national symbols. With the completion of the Changgyeonggung-Jongmyo historical restoration, the nearby Blue House, Seoul Museum of Craft Art, National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, and the Songhyeon-dong site?which will return as Gwanghwamun Plaza and Green Park opening next month on the 6th?are expected to accelerate the transformation of downtown Seoul into a space where history, culture, art, and greenery harmoniously coexist.

The ‘Changgyeonggung-Jongmyo Connection Historical Restoration Project’ was promoted with the main goals of restoring the palace fence (503m) demolished by the Japanese in its original linear form, connecting Changgyeonggung and Jongmyo with an 8,000㎡ green area, and creating a Palace Fence Path (340m) along the fence that offers views of Changgyeonggung. The palace fence restoration was based on the surrounding fence styles that still retained their original form and referenced related materials such as the ‘Donggwoldo’ (Eastern Palaces Map) made in 1907 and the ‘Joseon Historic Sites Map’ published in 1931 to restore it as faithfully as possible. The ground level was adjusted to match the original appearance according to the foundation stones excavated during the restoration, and more than 30% of the stone materials and foundation stones of the Jongmyo fence uncovered during construction were reused. The excavated old palace fence foundation stones will be preserved and exhibited in their original locations so that visitors to the Palace Fence Path can see them directly.

The Buksinmun, which disappeared along with the palace fence, was also restored. The Seoul Metropolitan Government referred to the scale and form of Wolgeunmun (Moon Viewing Gate), the east gate of Changgyeonggung, which is most similar, based on historical documents such as the Jongmyo Uigwe (1706?1741) and the Seungjeongwon Ilgi (Diary of the Royal Secretariat).

A traditional forest covering 8,000㎡ was created around the palace fence. Native Korean tree species such as oak varieties, pine, hornbeam, dogwood, and azalea?distributed in the forests of Changgyeonggung and Jongmyo?were planted, including 760 trees, shrubs, and flowers, completing a natural multi-layered forest structure. The Palace Fence Path was created with a length of 340m from Donhwamun, passing through the interior of Changgyeonggung, to Wonnam-dong Intersection. Although it did not exist during the Joseon Dynasty, this newly created path through the historical restoration project is expected to become a new landmark where visitors can experience the now unified Changgyeonggung-Jongmyo more closely after 90 years.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.