Review:From the tour book we received:
"[It] served as the residence for many kings and later became the main palace. Both of these palaces were totally destroyed by fire during the Japanese invasion of 1592. After the war, Gyeongbokgung was not rebuilt because its site was no longer considered auspicious. Instead, Changdeokgung was restored in 1610 and served as the main palace for the next 258 years, until Gyeongbokgung was finally rebuilt in 1868 during King Gojong's reign.
Unlike Gyeongbokgung, where major buildings are arranged along a main axis, Changdeokgung is laid out in harmony with the area's topography: The palace architecture has an asymmetric beauty that is unique to Korea. The layout is welcoming and was very comfortable for the royal family. [...]
Sadly, the stately royal palace complex fell victim to Japan's intentional destruction during the occupation. This was accomplished by several means, including the relocation of buildings from Gyeongbokgung to Changdeokgung when the former palace's inner court was destroyed bi fire. Following the death of the last Joseon king, Sunjong, Changdeokgung suffered even more heavy damage. Restoration of the palace to its original state began in 1991 and continues today. The Changdeokgung Palace complex was inscribed on the Unesco World Cultural Heritage list in 1997."
This is from the Changdeokgung Palace in Seoul, South Korea. I went here back in June with my girlfriend and we walked over an hour and a half through this enormous place. It was built in 1405 under the order of King Taejong. Apparently the Gyeongbokgung Palace wasn't good enough or maybe he just didn't want to live in the place were he murdered so many of his own family and higer-ups to gain power. You can click on each picture to take you to the gallery. The modern versions are HERE. These photographs are part of a vintage set that I processed using textures of old wood from within the palace to give an bit of authenticity to an otherwise unauthentic digital manipulation of what I actually saw.
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