The Gwanghwamun Gate is the main gate of the Gyeongbukgung Palace and was officially established back in 1895 by the first king of the Joseon Dynasty. Its name directly translates into ‘may the light of enlightenment blanket the world’ and it signals a resounding promise to the people of the Joseon Dynasty that they were involved in establishing that new dynasty. It was built out of granite and in seemingly resembles a rainbow called the Hongyemun Gate. However, this gate holds a sinister past - during the Japanese occupation, in order to dampen the morale of Korean soldiers, the Japanese military destroyed the gate and built its own government building. On either sides of the gate you may see a statue of haetae facing southwards. That is a mythical unicorn-lion believed to protect the palace from fires. So, head on down and see for yourself this gate that holds promises of protection and hope, in spite of the dark past it once endured.