Short trail telling the story of two queens

Besides the “Eight Scenic Views of Bukchon”, you can enjoy the charm of Bukchon in many small alleys. One of them is Gamgodang-gil, which is great for a walk. From Anguk Station to Duksung Girls’ Middle and High School, you can walk along the stone wall, enjoying the shade of the trees in the summer. Then, from the end of the stone wall to Jeongdok Library, you can visit various shops filled with an energetic atmosphere.

This road might feel short, but it represents a long history. Gamgodang, meaning a place where you look back on the past, was the name of a house built for Queen Inhyeon’s family by King Sukjong of Joseon in 1687. Her father lived here, and she also stayed here for five years after her dethronement caused by Lady Jang Hui-bin, the royal concubine of the king.

The house was named Gamgodang much later by King Yeongjo, who rose to the throne after King Sukjong and King Gyeongjong. He wrote the signboard himself in memory of the queen. Gamgodang means a place where you look back on the past. It is said that Queen Inhyeon, who was childless, loved King Yeongjo like her own son. So, maybe he felt sorry for the queen, who went through a hard time at this place.

Hundreds of years later, Gamgodang became home to another queen, Empress Myeongseong who was the wife of King Gojong, the 26th king of Joseon. The Min clan of Queen Inhyeon had lived in Gamgodang for generations, and Empress Myeongseong also lived here as a family member for eight years. Although
Gamgodang has been relocated to Yeoju in Gyeonggi-do Province where Empress Myeongseong’s birthplace exists, its name is still remembered as Gamgodang-gil in memory of the two queens.