World Peace Gate, Monument in Olympic Park, Seoul, South Korea
The World Peace Gate is a concrete monument in Olympic Park in the Oryundong neighborhood of Seoul, decorated with colorful murals and bronze masks mounted on stone pillars. It stands at the edge of Peace Square, a wide granite plaza that leads directly up to the structure.
The gate was built for the 1988 Seoul Summer Olympics and was the final major project of Korean architect Kim Chung-up, who died before its completion. Construction began at the end of 1986 and was finished in time for the opening of the Games.
The murals beneath the roof show the four guardian spirits of Korean tradition: a dragon, a bird, a tiger, and a turtle, each facing a different direction. They are painted in deep blue and red, colors that in Korean tradition represent balance and creativity.
The monument sits inside Olympic Park, most easily reached by subway Line 8 to Mongchontoseong Station. The park is calmest in the early morning, but Peace Square and the gate itself remain open well into the evening.
Beneath the central arch of the gate, a small eternal flame has been burning since the structure opened. Next to it, an inscription calls on all people of the world to live in unity, regardless of their origin or beliefs.
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