Heunginjimun Gate (Dongdaemun)

Heunginjimun, widely known as Dongdaemun ("Great East Gate"), was the main eastern gate in the wall around Hanyang, the Joseon capital. It is the only one of Seoul's eight city gates with a half-moon ongseong outer wall, and the only one with a four-character name. Today it stands in the middle of a busy junction, but from Heunginjimun Park on the slope next to it you can look right down into the enclosure.

History: a gate built on low ground

The ground to the east was low and had to be raised first, so the gate was only completed in 1398, the seventh year of King Taejo – later than the other gates. It was originally called Heunginmun. It was rebuilt in 1451–1453, and the present structure dates from 1869, under King Gojong. Around then, according to tradition, the character 之 was added to strengthen the supposedly weak geomantic energy of the city's east, which is why its name board is the only square, four-character one among the main gates. In 1907 the walls on either side were torn down to make way for a tram line. After the subway lowered the water table and the ground subsided, the ongseong began to bulge, so it was dismantled, the foundations reinforced and the wall rebuilt in 2002–2007.

What to see

• Ongseong: a semicircular outer wall in front of the gate that stopped attackers reaching the doors directly. Among Seoul's gates, only Heunginjimun has one.
• Two-storey pavilion: five bays wide and two deep; Sungnyemun and Heunginjimun are the only Seoul gates with two-storey towers. Dense brackets set between the columns and abundant decoration are typical of late Joseon architecture.
• Heunginjimun Park: laid out on the slope of Naksan in 2010, it lets you look down into the ongseong. It also holds 13 inscribed wall stones recording the builders and their sections, the largest group anywhere along the city wall.
• Seoul City Wall Museum and Naksan trail: the museum sits on the hill above the park, and the wall trail up to Naksan starts here.

Compare it with Sungnyemun

Sungnyemun preserves early Joseon features, while Heunginjimun, rebuilt in the 19th century, shows the late Joseon style. If you see both, compare the brackets and decoration under the eaves.

What the gate has been through

In 1724 the paving stones under the gate were dug out so that a royal funeral bier could pass more easily. In August 2011 record rainfall cracked part of the roof ridge, and in March 2018 a man climbed into the tower and started a fire, which only scorched part of a wall. The gate is now managed by Jongno District; across the road, Dongdaemun Design Plaza and the Dongdaemun market buildings create a scene where the old city gate meets the modern city.

Tripto tips

• Getting there: exits 6 and 7 of Dongdaemun Station (Lines 1 and 4) connect to the gate; from exit 1 the park is about 130 m away.
• Visiting: the gate is viewed from the outside; Heunginjimun Park is open all year and free.
• Photos: at dusk, when the lights come on, the enclosure and tower stand out clearly. The upper part of the park frames the whole ongseong.
• Time needed: 30 minutes for the gate and park, about 1.5 hours if you walk the Naksan wall trail.