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SEOUL: One of South Korea's most historic landmarks, the Namdaemun gate in the heart of the capital Seoul, collapsed early Monday after a blaze, police said.
The ornate two-storey wood building atop the six-century-old stone gate, the city's oldest wooden structure, caught fire on Sunday evening.
Eighty firefighters battling the blaze believed it was under control late Sunday but it flared up again.
The gate, designated National Treasure number one and a major tourist attraction, was originally constructed in 1398. It was rebuilt in 1447 and has since been frequently renovated.
Police are still trying to establish the cause of the fire but believe it was arson, Yonhap news agency said.
A taxi driver who reported the fire told investigators he saw a man aged in his 50s climb the stairs to the gate shortly before the blaze started.
The landmark, officially named Sungnyemun or "Gate of exalted ceremonies", was the southern gate in the walls that surrounded Seoul during the Chosun Dynasty of 1392-1910.
It is adjacent to Namdaemun market, a centuries-old market popular with locals and tourists alike.
The blaze comes less than three years after fire destroyed one of the country's oldest Buddhist temples, Naksan Temple, along with its bronze bell.
- AFP/so
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