Dongdaemun

Dongdaemun
	Heunginjimun signboard, written by Yi Hwang
Korean name
Hangul	동대문, 흥인지문
Hanja	東大門, 興仁之門
Revised Romanization	Dongdaemun, Heunginjimun
McCune–Reischauer	Tongdaemun, Hŭnginjimun

Heunginjimun
Heunginjimun
흥인지문
Alternative names	Dongdaemun(동대문)
General information
Type	Fortress gate
Location	Jongno 288
Address	Jongno-gu,
Town or city	Seoul
Country	South Korea
Construction started	1396
Renovated	1453; 1869
Owner	Government of South Korea
Management	Jongno-gu Office
Other information
Public transit access	Dongdaemun Station(Line 1)

Heunginjimun (Korean: 흥인지문; lit. Gate of Rising Benevolence), more commonly known as Dongdaemun (동대문; lit. Eastern Great Gate), is one of The Eight Gates of Seoul in the Fortress Wall of Seoul, a prominent landmark in central Seoul, South Korea. The Korean name "Dongdaemun" means "Great East Gate," and it was so named because it was the major eastern gate in the wall that surrounded Seoul during the Joseon period. The gate is located at Jongno 6-ga in Jongno District.

History

The structure was first built by King Taejo during his fifth year of reign (1398). It was renovated in 1453, and the current structure is the one rebuilt in 1869. Heunginjimun shows architectural style of the late Joseon period. The most unusual characteristic is its built outer wall, Ongseong. Ongseong was constructed to compensate the weakness of the target from multiple invaders, protecting the gate.^[1]

Preservation

Heunginjimun is located at the intersection of subway lines 1 and 4, at Dongdaemun Station (동대문역). The gate is within easy reach of exit 1 or exits 6–10 of this station.

Construction of the Dongdaemun Design Plaza, a major urban development landmark designed by Zaha Hadid, started in 2009 to renovate what used to be Dongdaemun Stadium (an amateur baseball park) and was officially inaugurated on March 21, 2014.^[2] This landmark, also called the DDP, is the centerpiece of South Korea's fashion hub and popular tourist destination and has been one of the main reasons for Seoul's designation as World Design Capital in 2010.

In August 2011, the roof of the gate was partially damaged by record rainfall. The large amount of rain resulted in chipping of the roof's ridge. An official of the Cultural Heritage Administration stated that "The aged gate underwent repairs in 1998 and seems to have become soaked in heavy rains".^[3]

By 2024, the area around Dongdaemun known as Dongdaemun Market has grown into the largest shopping center in South Korea, popular with both foreigners and natives.