Sinmumun () is the north gate of the palace
Gyeongbokgung
Gyeongbokgung () is a former royal palace in Seoul, South Korea. Established in 1395, it was the first royal palace of the Joseon dynasty, and is now one of the most significant tourist attractions in the country.
The palace was among the first ...
in
Seoul
Seoul, officially Seoul Special Metropolitan City, is the capital city, capital and largest city of South Korea. The broader Seoul Metropolitan Area, encompassing Seoul, Gyeonggi Province and Incheon, emerged as the world's List of cities b ...
, South Korea. It was used generally by military personnel.
The gate has generally seen little use, especially in comparison to the other gates. It was often closed.
It was built in 1433.
Sejong the Great
Sejong (; 15 May 1397 – 8 April 1450), commonly known as Sejong the Great (), was the fourth monarch of the Joseon, Joseon dynasty of Korea. He is regarded as the greatest ruler in Korean history, and is remembered as the inventor of Hangu ...
decided to construct the gate because of a traditional belief that palaces should have four large gates; there were only three at the time. Sinmumun was named in 1475; it is named for a mythical Chinese guardian of the north, the Black Turtle-Snake. That guardian is also painted on the ceiling of the gate. After being destroyed in 1592 during the Imjin War, the gate was rebuilt in 1865. This version of the gate has persisted to the present. The Gojong-era reconstruction saw the gate becoming the entrance to Gyeongmudae, the northern gardens of the palace. Part of the gate's walls collapsed during the colonial period, although they were repaired. It was opened to the public in 1954, but was closed after the May 16 coup of 1961 for security reasons (it is close to the Blue House and to the former military facilities in the palace). It was reopened for public use in 2006
or 2007. It was the final area of the palace to reopen to the public.
References
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External links
* {{Commons category-inline, Sinmumun
15th-century establishments in Korea
Gyeongbokgung
Buildings and structures completed in 1433