Namdaemun - Namdaemun

During the Joseon Dynasty, when Seoul was chosen as the capital of the country, King Lee Sung-kye built 4 gates to protect feng shui and Namdaemun gate facing south is the largest gate among the 3 gates. remaining. Nam Dai Mon was built in 3 years from 1935 to 1938 with a 2-storey architecture, all made of wood and this place is also considered the oldest wooden building in Korea.

Every year, according to tradition, Korean people often gather here to dance and sing, perform a ceremony to dispel bad things that may happen throughout the year.

The first Namdaemun restoration took place in 1961 before it was recognized as Korea's No. 1 cultural heritage. In 2005, the second restoration took place.

In 2008, a shocking event happened when a fire broke out at Nam Dai Mon. Despite the efforts of 360 firefighters in 6 hours, the entire wooden structure above the city gate was burned down. After investigation efforts, it was learned that the fire was caused by a 69-year-old man due to grievances over land compensation to the Government. After 5 years, with the contribution of more than 35,000 workers, scientists, architects with a budget of more than 21 million USD, Nam Dai Mon has been restored and reopened. At the same time, also on this occasion, Korean people held a solemn memorial ceremony right here.

Hours of Operation :

Monday: closed

Tuesday - Sunday: 09:00 - 20:00

Phone : +82 2-779-8547