Manwoldae
Chosŏn'gŭl	만월대
Hancha	滿月臺
McCune–Reischauer	Manwŏldae
Revised Romanization	Manwoldae

Manwŏldae Palace was the official royal palace of the Goryeo dynasty. Located in the ancient capital city of Kaesŏng, the palace was completely destroyed when the rebel Red Turban Army entered Kaesŏng during the 14th century.^[1]

Contents 1 History 2 Excavation 3 See also 4 References

[edit] History

Construction on the palace began in 919, at the beginning of the Goryo dynasty; it was built south of the Songak Mountains for good Feng Shui. The palace was divided into two major sections; the Kungsŏng, where the king and royal family resided, and the Hwangsŏng, where affairs of state were conducted. Large buildings such as the Changhwa (長和殿), and Wŏndŏk (元德殿) Halls contained shrines and living quarters, while Hoegyŏng Hall (會慶殿), the largest and most impressive, contained the throne room. The complex also contained a stone astronomy tower known as the Chŏmsŏngdae, which was used by royal astrologers. The palace was burned to the ground in 1361 when the the rebel Chinese Red Turban Army invaded Korea, sacking the city of Kaesong and forcing the king to flee south.^[1]

[edit] Excavation

Excavation of the ruins of Manwoldae Palace began under the supervision of the North Korean government, but merged into a joint Korean cultural project. Many valuable relics of the late Goryeo period have been uncovered at the site, including ceramics, metal items, ancestral tablets, mirrors, and over 3,000 roofing tiles. It is on a list of locations planned by North Korea to become UNESCO World Heritage Sites.^[1]

[edit] See also

• National Treasures of North Korea
• Anhak Palace

[edit] References