Month: July 2010

Wongudan Altar in Seoul

Side by side images, to the left is a black and white historical picture showing the Wongudan Altar opposite a large building with the city in the background. On the right is a modern picture showing it as a three story building, with traditional Korean roofing, red pillars and stone steps going up, with grass in the foreground and blue sky behind.

At the turn of the 19th century, Korea’s autonomy was threatened by several world powers. Located on Seoul Plaza, the Wongudan Altar was the Temple of Heaven, a symbol of independence for Korea’s short-lived Daehan Empire.