Jongum Gate

Jongum Gate
Chosŏn'gŭl 전금문
Hancha 轉錦門
Revised Romanization Jeongeummun
McCune–Reischauer Chŏn'gŭmmun

The Jongum Gate (also known as the Chŏn'gŭm Gate) is one of the gates of the Pyongyang walls. It is located on Moran Hill in Pyongyang, North Korea.[1]

History of the Gate

The gate served as a rally point from which soldiers and residents of Pyongyang fought the Japanese invaders during the Imjin Patriotic War (1592-1598). When the Pyongyang castle was rebuilt in 1714, the gate was renovated into an arch and the pavilion above the entrance was rebuilt. The gate was destroyed by US bombing during the Korean War; it was restored in 1959.[2]

The structure used to be the southern gate of the Northern Fort in Pyongyang during the Koguryŏ period. It offers access to the ferry in the Taedong River.[3]

Description

The original gate had two wooden doors. The entrance to the doorway is built with well-trimmed granite stones, its walls are made of seven layers of big stones and the roof is made of fifteen fan-shaped stones. "The pavilion above the gate has four columns (7.36 meters) on the facade and three columns (4.35 meters) on the flank and (a) hip-saddled roof. It is painted red and blue, adding beauty to the gate".[2]

It is listed as one of the National Treasures of North Korea.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Gyong, Kim Son (November 2014). "Historical Relics in Moran Hill" (PDF). Pictoral Korea (Pyongyang: Naenara). Retrieved December 28, 2014.
  2. 1 2 "Jongum Gate, Historical Relic of Korea". KCNA (Pyongyang). October 27, 2006. Retrieved December 28, 2014.
  3. ↑ "Chŏngŭm Gate, Pyŏngyang". University of Southern California. 2009. Retrieved December 28, 2014.

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Tuesday, December 30, 2014. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.