Sohoheon House, Andong

Basic information

Designation

Treasure No.475

Category

Other

Era

조선시대 중기

Designated year

1968

Location

안동시, 경상북도— 경상북도 안동시 소호헌길 6(일직면)

Coordinates

36.463785, 128.663732

Sohoheon House is a detached house built in the reign of King Myeongjong (r. 1545-1567) of the Joseon Dynasty by Seohae, a civil minister of King Jungjong. It was originally designed to be used as a library. The house is comprises five kan (a unit of measurement referring to the distance between two columns) at the front and two kan at the sides, and has a hip and gable roof, which resembles the shape of the Chinese character 八 (pal, meaning ‘eight’). However, the other attached room has the gable roof, which is the shape of the character 人 (in, meaning ‘a person’). This building, which is in the shape of ‘T’, consists of three kan on the left side, which is the main hall, one kan on the right side, which is the numaru (wood-floored veranda with a railing), and two ondol rooms attached to each other, with the traditional Korean heating system. The eaves of the roof are supported by a double-wing bracketing system on the columns. The back of the numaru and ondol rooms are ringed by handrails. The top part of the roof inside the building is supported by unique materials that are not found in other private houses. With the design of two flying dragons carved on the roof tiles, something rarely found in other private buildings, and the skill and style of its construction, the house is regarded as an important cultural asset and also valuable for the study of private houses of the Joseon Dynasty.

Location