Seoul's oldest surviving palace gate loses its roof for a major repair

Workers have started lifting the roof tiles off Donhwamun, the main gate of Changdeokgung Palace in Seoul. It is the oldest surviving palace gate in Korea, and it is getting its biggest repair in years.

What happened?

On 9 November, four workers removed the first tiles one by one while heritage officials and supervisors watched closely. The project will repair or replace key structural timbers and swap all 15,000 or so roof tiles for handmade ones.

Lee Geun-bok, a national intangible heritage holder in traditional roof-tile laying, was watching every move. After a first look at the middle of the roof, he said it seemed "not as bad as expected", but added that tiles left in place for so long need checking carefully.

Why does the gate need this?

The cracks are visible, and the roof has some odd quirks. The decorative ridge-end tile called a chwidu is half buried. The number of small guardian figurines on the roof, the japsang, has crept up from five to seven.

Factory-made tiles sit at the front and handmade ones at the back, so the weight is lopsided. Safety checks backed this up. A 2014 inspection found structural problems, and monitoring from 2020 to 2022 gave the gate an "E" grade, meaning repairs are needed, three years running. In 2022, experts called for dismantling the upper roof quickly.

The gate itself dates to 1412, under King Taejong. It was rebuilt in 1609 after being destroyed during the Japanese invasions. Its name roughly means a king spreading great virtue and teaching his people.

What's next?

Once the roof is open, the team will check the whole structure and then, after expert talks, take apart parts such as the rafters. The japsang count will stay as it is for now, but officials will compare it with photos from the 1930s to understand why it differs.

Work is due to finish around October 2028, though it could run longer if more damage turns up. A decision on that is expected in the first half of next year.

Until then, visitors will use Geumhomun and the fire gate next to it. From 25 November, you can apply online to tour the site twice a month, including a viewing room inside the temporary protective structure. Changdeokgung joined the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1997, and next year marks 30 years.