At the entrance to Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul, a Changing of the Guards ceremony takes place every hour on the hour from 10am to 3pm daily, except Tuesdays. It is free for anyone to come and watch. The entire ceremony takes approximately 10 minutes to complete and is a fun sight to see.
The Changing of the Guards originated in the 15th century. The guards were in charge of opening and closing the gate, inspecting all visitors, and keeping watch. The ceremony now is a reenactment complete with traditional weapons, musical instruments, and colorful robes. The facial hair you see on the “soldiers” below isn’t real, it’s just part of their costume!
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“A traveler without observation is a bird without wings.”
~Moslih Eddin Saadi