Sungnyemun
- Built: 1398
- Korean: 崇禮門 (Sungnyemun)
The Sungnyemun is the southern gate of the city of Seoul.
Originally built in 1398 by King Taejo, founder of the Joseon Dynasty, as one of the four main gates of the city, Sungnyemun was also used as a ritual site where, in times of need, the king would pray for rain or for fair weather. Bells installed at the gate were rung late at night and early in the morning each day to announce the closing and opening of the gate.
The gate saw major repairs in 1448 and 1479, and during the reign of King (Emperor) Gojong (r. 1863-1907).
The city walls to either side of the gate were dismantled by the Empire of Japan in 1907-1908, while the gate was maintained intact. It was damaged during the Korean War in the 1950s, and underwent extensive repairs in 1961 to 1963. The wooden structures of the gate were then severely damaged again by an arsonist in 2008; repairs completed by 2013 included the reconstruction of short sections of city wall to either side.
References
- Plaques on-site.[1]