Bosingak is a large
bell pavilion on
Jongno in
Seoul,
South Korea. The bell in Bosingak gives Jongno its name, which literally means "bell street". It was originally constructed in 1396 but destroyed many times by both war and fire. It was designated Bosingak by Emperor
Gojong in 1895.
In the
Joseon Dynasty, this bell was at the center of the castle town. The bell was struck to announce the opening and closing of the four gates around Seoul. At 4 am and 10 pm the bell was struck 33 times and gates were opened and closed. It was used as a fire alarm as well. In modern times, the bell is rung only at midnight on
New Year's Eve
In the Gregorian calendar, New Year's Eve, also known as Old Year's Day or Saint Sylvester's Day in many countries, is the evening or the entire day of the last day of the year, on 31 December. The last day of the year is commonly referred to ...
. Because of the massive number of people who attend this ceremony, Metro trains on
Line 1 Line 1 or 1 line may refer to:
Public transport Africa
* Line 1 (Algiers Metro), Algeria
* Cairo Metro Line 1, Egypt
Asia China
* Line 1 (Beijing Subway)
* Line 1 (Changchun Rail Transit)
* Line 1 (Changsha Metro)
* Line 1 (Changzhou Metro)
* L ...
of the
Seoul Subway do not stop at
Jonggak Station on New Year's Eve.
History
It was in 1398 (the 7th year of King
Taejo's reign) that the bell was first hung in
Hanyang during the Joseon Dynasty, and a bell that was cast in
Gwangju
Gwangju () is South Korea's sixth-largest metropolis. It is a designated metropolitan city under the direct control of the central government's Home Minister. The city was also the capital of South Jeolla Province until the provincial office ...
was hung on the west side of
Cheongungyo's bell tower.
Gallery
Image:Boshingak.jpg
Image:Korea-Seoul-Bosingak-01.jpg
Image:Korea-Seoul-Bosingak-02.jpg
Image:Korea-Seoul-Bosingak-03.jpg
References
External links
Satellite View
Jongno District
Bells (percussion)
Pavilions
Buildings and structures in Seoul
Tourist attractions in Seoul
{{SouthKorea-struct-stub