Igansumun Flood Gate

The Igansumun Flood Gate is a double-arched stone structure that sits embedded into the old city wall of Seoul. Built in the early fifteenth century, it controlled the water flow of the Cheonggyecheon stream as it passed beneath the defenses of the capital. During the Japanese occupation, the gate was buried under pavement and largely forgotten. Excavations in two thousand five rediscovered the original stonework, revealing two dark, gaping stone mouths that once channeled the city’s lifeblood through its stone skin.