Sungnyemun, popularly called Namdaemun, was the southern gate of Seoul’s Joseon-era city wall. Its stone arch and two-story wooden pavilion survived centuries of urban change, including a devastating 2008 arson attack, before restoration returned the gate to public view in 2013.
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The stone arch still channels the movement of a city, even though the wall that once joined the gate has mostly disappeared. Sungnyemun was built between 1396 and 1398 as the southern entrance to Hanyang, the Joseon capital.
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- Construction began in 1396 and finished in 1398.
- Sungnyemun is popularly known as Namdaemun, or South Gate.
- After arson in 2008, restoration was completed in 2013.
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