Taedong Gate is the eastern gate of the inner castle of the walled city of
Pyongyang
Pyongyang (, , ) is the capital and largest city of North Korea, where it is known as the "Capital of the Revolution". Pyongyang is located on the Taedong River about upstream from its mouth on the Yellow Sea. According to the 2008 populatio ...
(
Pyongyang Castle
Pyongyang Castle is one of the National Treasures of North Korea.
The castle was attacked by Geunchogo of Baekje in 375.
In 427, Jangsu of Goguryeo transferred the Goguryeo capital from Gungnae Fortress (present-day Ji'an on the China-North K ...
), and one of the
National Treasures of North Korea
A National Treasure (국보; 國寶 : ) is a tangible artifact, site, or building deemed by the Government of North Korea to have significant historical or artistic value to the country.
History
The first list of Korean cultural treasures was des ...
. Located on the banks of the
Taedong River
The Taedong River (Chosŏn'gŭl: ) is a large river in North Korea. The river rises in the Rangrim Mountains of the country's north where it then flows southwest into Korea Bay at Namp'o.Suh, Dae-Sook (1987) "North Korea in 1986: Strengthening ...
, from which it gets its name, the gate was originally built in the sixth century as an official
Koguryo
Goguryeo (37 BC–668 AD) ( ) also called Goryeo (), was a Korean kingdom located in the northern and central parts of the Korean Peninsula and the southern and central parts of Northeast China. At its peak of power, Goguryeo controlled most ...
construction, and, along with the
Ryongwang Pavilion
Ryongwang Pavilion is a scenic overlook located in the Chung-guyok, central district of Pyongyang, North Korea. Located on the bank of the Taedong River, the pavilion was first constructed during the Goguryeo dynasty as "Sansu Pavilion", and was pa ...
and
Pyongyang Bell
The Pyongyang Bell is one of the National Treasures of North Korea.
The current bell was cast between June and September 1726 during the Ri dynasty to replace an earlier one that was destroyed by fire in 1714. The bell was rung to announce invas ...
, served as the center of the inner castle's eastern defenses. The present construction dates from 1635,
however, as the original was burnt to the ground during the
Imjin wars
The Imjin River ( in South Korea) or Rimjin River ( in North Korea) is the 7th largest river in Korea. It flows from north to south, crossing the Demilitarized Zone and joining the Han River downstream of Seoul, near the Yellow Sea. The river i ...
of the late 16th century.
The current gate features a granite base topped by a two-story pavilion, called the Euphoru Pavilion (읍호루, ), because of its grand views of the Taedong River. This pavilion houses two hanging name plaques, one, on the first storey, reading "Taedong Gate" and calligraphed Yang Sa-on, and the other, reading "Upho Pavilion", on the second storey and written by (박위).
It is
National Treasure #4 in North Korea.
See also
*
National Treasures of North Korea
A National Treasure (국보; 國寶 : ) is a tangible artifact, site, or building deemed by the Government of North Korea to have significant historical or artistic value to the country.
History
The first list of Korean cultural treasures was des ...
*
Potongmun
References
External links
vnctravel.nl
{{coord, 39, 01, 21, N, 125, 45, 24, E, region:KP_type:city_source:kolossus-frwiki, display=title
Buildings and structures in Pyongyang
National Treasures of North Korea
Goguryeo
Gates in North Korea
Gates in Korea