Gyeongbokgung Palace

Have you ever seen a roof that looks like a happy smile? I have lots of them, all reaching for the sky. Behind me, big mountains stand like friendly guards watching over my wide-open courtyards. I have been here for a very long time, watching a small town grow into a giant city all around me. I am Gyeongbokgung Palace, which means the Palace of Shining Happiness, and I sit in the heart of a bustling city called Seoul, in a country called South Korea. My name is a big wish, a wish for everyone who enters my gates to be happy and blessed.

My story began a very, very long time ago. A wise king named Taejo wanted a special and beautiful home for his brand new kingdom, which was called the Joseon Dynasty. He thought I should be the grandest palace of all, so he built me way back in the year 1395. Life inside my walls was full of excitement and importance. In my grand throne hall, kings would sit on a big, fancy chair and make important decisions for all the people in the kingdom. Queens would take peaceful walks by my lovely lotus pond, watching the flowers float on the water. At my large gates, strong guards in bright, colorful uniforms would practice their marches, keeping everyone inside safe. For hundreds of years, I was the main and most important palace in the land, a true home for kings and queens.

But not all of my days were sunny and bright. I have a sad memory from long ago. In the year 1592, a terrible war came to the land, and a big fire swept through my halls. Many of my beautiful buildings were burned and damaged. It hurt me very much. For almost 300 years after that, I was quiet and empty, and my courtyards were lonely with no one to visit them. But my story wasn’t over. In the year 1867, people who loved me and remembered my importance decided to bring me back to life. A determined prince regent named Heungseon Daewongun led the way. Workers carefully started rebuilding me, piece by piece, making me strong and beautiful once again. It was like waking up from a long, long sleep.

Today, I am no longer quiet or lonely. My big gates are wide open for everyone. Families and friends from all over the world come to visit me. They walk on the same stone paths where kings and queens once walked, and they look up at my colorful roofs. My favorite thing to see is when visitors dress up in beautiful, traditional clothes called 'hanbok.' They look like bright flowers blooming in my courtyards. I love hearing the sounds of children laughing and people taking pictures. I am a bridge that connects today to the past, and I am a happy place where wonderful new memories are made every single day.