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Daejojeon Hall of Changdeokgung Palace

창덕궁 대조전 ( 昌德宮 大造殿 )

Heritage Search Detail
Classification Treasure
Name of Cultural Properties Daejojeon Hall of Changdeokgung Palace
Quantity
Designated Date 1985.01.08
Age The 4th year of the reign of Gojong of Joseon (1867)
Address Changdeokgung Palace 99, Yulgok-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Daejojeon was the main building of the queen's living quarters. It was first built in 1405, the fifth year of King Taejong's reign. Like many other palace buildings it experienced a series of destructions and reconstructions due to frequent fires, finally being consumed again in a 1917 fire. The present building was moved to this site from Gyotaejeon Hall in Gyeongbokgung Palace in 1920. Several kings of Joseon, including Seongjong, Injo and Hyojong, died in the original or the reconstructed Daejojeon. Kings Sunjo's crown prince, who was given the posthumous title of King Ikjong, was born here. Frequent reconstruction and relocation greatly altered the building itself and its annexes. At present, Daejojeon Hall has a floor space of 36 kan (a unit of measurement referring to the distance between two columns), with 9-kan front space and 4-kan side space. It has a hip and gable roof called paljakjibung. In the courtyard of Daejojeon Hall, there is a small woldae (stone platform), on which great singers of the late Joseon period such as Yi Dong-baek and Song Man-gap occasionally performed for King Gojong and his queen. The 3-kan space in the center was used as a living room, with a bedchamber on each side, the east one for the king and the west for the queen. Small rooms for maids of honor were attached at the side and rear of each bedchamber. The interior of the building was westernized, with a tiled floor, glass windows and western-style furniture.