Gyeongbokgung

Gyeongbokgung (Gyeongbok Palace) is a palace complex located in the north of Seoul, South Korea. It was the main and largest palace during the Joseon Dynasty, where the royal family lived, and one of five large palaces built during the Joseon period.
It was built in 1394 by the Korean architect Jung Do John. Parts of the palace were burned down during the Japanese invasion in 1592. It was renovated in the 1860s. After reconstruction it began to consist of 330 buildings and 5792 rooms. The total area of the complex is 410 thousand square meters. Shortly after the assassination of Empress Myeongseong by Japanese agents in 1895, her husband, Emperor Gojong, left the palace and never returned.
In 1911, the Japanese destroyed all but ten of the complex's structures, building the House of the Governor-General of Korea during Japanese rule.
Gyeongbokgung's main structures are Gyeongjongjon, the imperial throne room (numbered 223 on the national treasure list), and the Gyeonghaeru Pavilion (numbered 224 on the national treasure list), which stands in the middle of an artificial lake with 48 granite columns. This pavilion is featured on the 10,000 won banknote.
Now the palace is an open-air museum. Before entering the palace, colorful ceremonies for changing the guard of the Joseon Dynasty Royal Guard are held.