Ruins of Anhak Palace

Ruins of Anhak Palace

The ruins of Anhak Palace are located at the foot of Mount Taesong in the northeastern part of Pyongyang, the capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. It was an imposing royal palace built in 427 AD when King Jangsu of Goguryeo moved the capital from Hwando (present-day Ji'an in China’s Jilin Province) to Pyongyang. The palace covered an area of over 3,860,000 square meters. The palace city was a square earthen fortress about 12 meters high and 622 meters on each side. It was divided into three sections — the outer palace, inner palace, and sleeping quarters — forming the South Palace, Central Palace, and North Palace. In total, Anhak Palace consisted of five architectural complexes with 52 buildings of varying sizes. The leaders of Goguryeo resided in this palace for about 160 years until 586 AD, when they relocated to Pyongyang Fortress (now the area in central Pyongyang surrounded by the Chongchon and Taedong Rivers).

Like many palaces throughout history, Anhak Palace also fell victim to war. It was bombed and destroyed by the invading U.S. forces during the Korean War in the 1950s (referred to as the Fatherland Liberation War by Koreans), leaving only the base ruins. In recent years, the North Korean government has created a model of the palace, which is now displayed at the National Museum of Korean History in Pyongyang.

Relics of Anhak Palace

Must-visit reason: One of the most magnificent palaces in Korean history

Continent where the attraction is located: Asia【Asia】

Country/Region where the attraction is located: North Korea [North Korea]

Province/State where the attraction is located: Pyongyang Directly Governed City [Pyongyang Directly Governed City]