Jongmyo Shrine

Beyond this gate lies Jongmyo, the royal shrine of the Joseon dynasty. No king ever lived here: this is where the dead were honoured. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1995.

1The temple of the ancestors

Following the Confucian model, when King Taejo founded the capital he placed the ancestral shrine on one side of the palace and the altar of earth and grain on the other. Jongmyo was built in 1394 and 1395. It burned in the Imjin War and was rebuilt in the early 17th century; the original tablets had survived, hidden in the house of an ordinary family.

The main hall, Jeongjeon, grew longer as kings died, until it had nineteen chambers. With a façade over a hundred metres long, it is one of the longest traditional buildings in East Asia. It holds the tablets of 19 kings and 30 queens; another hall, Yeongnyeongjeon, keeps those of 16 more kings and 18 queens.

2A living rite

Every year, on the first Sunday in May, descendants of the royal family perform the Jongmyo Jerye, with music and dances first composed in Sejong's time. The rite and its music have been on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list since 2001.

Inside, a raised stone path down the centre was reserved for the spirits; the king and the crown prince walked along the sides.

Visits inside are usually guided and at set times; check the official website before you go.

3What to look for

• The outer gate, plain and without bright paintwork, as befits a place of mourning.
• The stone path that starts just behind it.
• The restraint of the whole complex compared with the colourful palaces.