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Wongudan Altar (built 1899)

This octagonal 3-story building is the centerpiece of Wongudan, the Korean equivalent of China's Temple of Heaven in Beijing. Beginning in the Goryeo dynasty, prayers were offered to Heaven by the ruling king to ensure bountiful harvests. However, since it was believed that only an Emperor could directly beseech Heaven, the rite was abolished during most of the Joseon dynasty (1392-1910), when Korean rulers took the title "King" so as not to offend the Emperor in China. Although the rites were briefly reestablished from 1456-1464 during the reign of King Sejo, they were not reestablished until 1897 when King Gojong declared himself an "emperor" and proclaimed the Great Han Empire (Daehan Jeguk) in the 34th year of his reign. Daehan Jeguk was short-lived, however, and the rites were abolished shortly after the Japanese dissolved the dynasty in 1910.

Location

The approximate location of Wongudan is 37.565038' N, 126.979796' E (WGS 84 map datum).