- Address: 40 Sejong-daero, Namdaemunno 4 (sa) -ga, Jung-gu, Seoul, South Korea
- Phone: +82 2-779-8547
- Construction: 1395-1398 years.
- Opening hours: Tuesday-Sunday 9: 00-18: 00, Monday - closed
Seoul , as the official capital and one of the largest cities in South Korea , is a huge business and cultural center of the country. This, at first glance, noisy metropolis is actually full of incredible sights , which millions of people from all over the world dream to see. These include the famous Namdaemun Gate, known as the oldest wooden structure in the state. On the features and significance of this unique monument read further.
Historical facts
The Namdaemun Gate in Seoul is one of the main national treasures of the capital. They were built at the end of the 14th century, in 1395-1398, thus becoming one of the first gates of the fortress wall surrounding the city during the reign of the Joseon Dynasty. Their height was more than 6 m, and the total length of the wall is about 18.2 km. By the way, all in Seoul at that time was built 8 gates, 6 of which have survived to this day.
Officially, the attraction has 2 names: Namdemun ("great southern gate") and Sunnemun ("the gate of glorified ceremonies"), although many locals believe that the name Namdemun was forcibly changed by the Japanese Empire during the colonial period. There are no confirmations to this, so both names are relevant.
Until 2008, the Namdaemun Gate was considered the oldest wooden structure in Seoul. Made of stone and wood, they were originally used to greet foreign guests and control access to the capital. Over the years, the gate has been closed more than 5 times for restoration, and in the 1900s they were completely destroyed in order to create a more efficient transport system. Thirty years later, in 1938, Sunnemun was recognized as the Korean treasure No. 1.
The most notable event related to Namdaemun was the 2008 fire, which, despite the rapid response of firefighters, almost completely destroyed the famous gate. The arsonist was soon discovered and arrested, he became an elderly man named Che Zhonggui, who was angry because the developers did not fully pay him compensation for the land, and local authorities did not even try to understand this matter.
The restoration of the most important cultural and architectural monument of Korea took about 5 years, and the solemn opening ceremony was held on May 5, 2013, on Children's Day. Repair work was carried out with small interruptions (due to severe weather conditions in winter in Seoul). Nevertheless, the design was completely rebuilt again, as much as possible to the original structure.
How to get to the Namdaemun Gate?
One of the main attractions of South Korea is located in the central part of Seoul, where you can easily reach by public transport . So, to get to Namdaemun, take the metro : take 4 lines to Hoehyeon Station, a couple of blocks away from which is the national treasure.