Independence Gate, or Dongnimmun, is a granite triumphal arch in Seodaemun Independence Park in Seoul. It was built from 1896 to January 1898 to symbolize Korea's commitment to independence after Joseon ended its tributary ties to Qing China. Philip Jaisohn proposed it, and King Gojong approved the plan.
The Arc de Triomphe in Paris inspired the design. An unidentified Swiss architect working for the German legation drew the blueprint, and the Korean engineer Sim Ui-seok oversaw construction. The gate stands 47 feet (14.28 meters) tall and 38 feet (11.48 meters) wide, and it is made of about 1,850 granite pieces.
Citizens helped pay through a campaign run by the newspaper Tongnip sinmun. South Korea designated the gate a Historic Site in 1963 and moved it 230 feet (70 meters) northwest in 1979. It is reached from Dongnimmun Station on Seoul Subway Line 3.
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