Sungnyemun Gate

Sungnyemun - the gate of exalted ceremonies, Namdaemun in common use - was completed in 1398 as the main southern entrance to the walled capital, and it was for centuries the oldest wooden structure in Seoul and the first item on the national treasure register. In February 2008 a man set fire to it in a dispute over compensation for his land, and the wooden upper storey burned and collapsed while the country watched it live on television - it is a date most Koreans can place. Restoration took five years, using traditional tools, timber and techniques, and the gate reopened in 2013; the stone base is original, the woodwork above is new, and a later review found problems with some of the materials and repainting that had to be corrected. Short stretches of the old city wall have been rebuilt on either side and the plaza around it opened up. It cannot be entered and takes half an hour. Namdaemun market is immediately north.

What you actually see

• The restored gate - original stone base, rebuilt wooden storey.
• The wall stubs - short rebuilt stretches either side.
• The plaza - the opened space around the base.
• The city context - old gate against Seoul's office towers.

When to go

Year-round; evenings when it is lit. The guard-changing ceremony runs at set times. Half an hour covers it.

Honest expectations

The upper structure is a post-2013 reconstruction, not original fabric. The gate is not enterable and stands amid traffic. It works as a short stop on the way to Namdaemun market.

Nearby

Namdaemun market is a minute north; Seoul Station and Myeongdong are close.