• Journal of architectural history
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.7-18
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• 2012

This study was aimed at analyzing the location and topology of the 'Gungmyo(宮廟)' and in Hanyang Doseong(漢陽都城) during 18th and 19th century. Based on the changes of royal processions(行幸) which had been done between the Gungmyo and the Palace, the Gungmyo can be a barometer of cognition where the city center was. Hanyang Doseong was the the capital of Joseon(朝鮮) which had established by king Taejo(太祖). The city had been organized with Gyeongbok-gung(景福宮) as the center. However, after the Imjin War(1592), Gyeongbok-gung was destroyed and urban space was reorganized with Changduk-gung(昌德宮) which reconstructed first. As most kings in late Joseon dynasty had mainly stayed in Changduk-gung, lots of Gungmyos where a memorial service for king's relatives had been held were established in and around the palace and the frequency of visiting the Gungmyo varied by political purpose. Therefore, the location of the Gungmyo and the rounte of parade were important to impress on the center of urban space. In 18th century, lots of King's procession had been done with Changduk-gung as departure point. The king used to start from Donwha-mun(敦化門), and the routes included main street around Changduk-gung. It shows that the urban center focused on the east of the city. On the other hand, when the king lived in Kyeonghee-gung(慶熙宮), a secondary palace in late Joseon dynasty, the parade started from Hungwha-mun(興化門) and the urban center was expended to the west. Since Gyeongbok-gung had reconstructed in 1865, recognition scheme of urban space had changed from Changduk-gung to Gyeongbok-gung as the center. When the Gungmyo relocated western side of Gyeongbok-gung, spatial proximity of the palace and relation with facilities around downtown fed into changing the route of king's parade.