The Independence Gate is a memorial gate located in Seoul, South Korea. The gate was built following the first Sino-Japanese war to inspire a spirit of independence away from previous Korean arrangement as a Chinese tributary state.
The Independence Gate was built to replace the Yeongeunmun Gate, which was a symbol of diplomatic relations between Korea and Qing Dynasty. To raise funds for the building, the Independence Club collected contributions.
Construction of the gate began on November 21, 1896, and it was completed on November 20, 1897. The design, by Seo Jae-pil, was modeled on the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. It measures 14.28 meters in height, 11.48 meters in width, and is made of approximately 1,850 pieces of granite.
In 1979, it was moved from its original position 70 meters northwest by rezoning.
Coordinates: 37°34′20.25″N 126°57′35.23″E / 37.5722917°N 126.9597861°E / 37.5722917; 126.9597861
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Famous quotes containing the words independence and/or gate:
“We must have constantly present in our minds the difference between independence and liberty. Liberty is a right of doing whatever the laws permit, and if a citizen could do what they forbid he would no longer be possessed of liberty.”
—Charles Louis de Secondat Montesquieu (1689–1755)
“I have come to the conclusion that the major part of the work of a President is to increase the gate receipts of expositions and fairs and by tourists into town.”
—William Howard Taft (1857–1930)