These pictures are from my trip to Seoul on the Lunar New Year break, January 30th- February 2nd, 2014.
First pictures are of Seoul as seen from N Seoul Tower located on Namsan Mountain.
These pictures are from my visit to Changdeokgung Palace and the Secret Garden. Unfortunately, it rained the whole time that I was there so I did not get many pictures of the Secret Garden.
Jinseonmun Gate
Injeongjeon, the throne hall. Major events and ceremonies, including the coronation of a king, where held here. It is a National Treasure. 
Nakseonjae Complex. Quarters built for King Heonjong where he could go to read and relax. The Donggung, quarters for the crown prince, where originally here as well. These buildings were lived in up until recently. Bangja Lee, the wife of the last crown prince, lived here until 1989. 
Pavilion hidden away.
This is a well that had water in it.
A bit of old Seoul and new Seoul in the background. Changdeokgung Palace is basically in the middle of the city.
Seongjeonggak Area. The residence of the crown prince. The crown prince's study was used as a royal hospital during the Japanese occupation. A prince could not be a crown prince before the age of 4 due to the high rate of infant mortality. At age 10, the crown prince had a coming-of-age ceremony, followed by a wedding ceremony. 
I had about an hour wait in the rain for the Secret Garden English tour to begin, so I spent it trying to take good pictures of myself.
Entrance to The Secret Garden.
Buyongji, a rectangular pond, that the King liked to fish in. The square shape of the pond represented the sky, and the round island in the middle represented Earth, creating a balance between the two. Having balance, or harmony, between sky and earth was very sought after, and still is. This palace was built in harmony with one of the other palaces in the area.
The second pavilion in the background, Yeonghwadang Pavilion, was where state exams were held, sometimes in front of the king.
If you were a noble person and the king was angry with you, you would be left alone on the island for awhile as punishment.
Buyongjeong Pavilion is said to look like a lotus flower in bloom.
Pavilion were you could sit. Sometimes meals were held here.
Sadly this is the end of my Secret Garden pictures. The rest of it was pretty much the same. Areas where the king could go with his nobles and relax.
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