National Treasure Number One

Namdaemun (Great South Gate) before the fire

Namdaemun, also known as Sungnyemun, is a historic gate located in Seoul, South Korea. It was built during the Choson dynasty in 1398 and was declared national treasure number one in 1962. On February 10, 2008, a fire destroyed most of the structure. Prior to this fire, this structure has stood for over 600 years. The fire was set by an arson and most of it was destroyed. A lot of history is attached to this structure and it is one of few historic landmarks to survive the Japanese invasion in 1592, the Japanese occupation in 1910, and the Korean War. Prior to the fire, Namdaemun was closed off and was made open to the public for the first time since 1907. It was only open to the public for two years. I luckily have had the privilege to visit Namdaemun prior to the fire.

Nameademun after the fire

The extensive damage caused by the fire is evident as the roof collapsed. The Namdaemun gate is connected to the Namdaemun market, and the two places are associated with each other. Despite this tragedy, there was much criticism towards the government for not handling the fire better. There is some speculation regarding the fire and how it could have been stopped quicker and allowed for far less damage. Some Koreans compare the fire of Namdaemun to the 9/11 attacks on the World trade center. As of right now, Namdaemun is currently in the process of being restored and is projected to be completed in 2012 and will cost nearly $20 million. Although measurements were made prior to the fire, after the restoration is complete, most of its history was destroyed in the fire. Before the fire, Namdaemun was the oldest wooden structure is Seoul. I am curious as to if the Namdaemun will still be considered national treasure number one after it is completely restored. My guess is it will most likely still be called national treasure number one, but due to the restoration, the historic aspect of Namdaemun will no longer be the same.

news articles:
http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2008/02/12/2008021261011.html

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7238210.stm