Gwanghwamun
Encyclopedia
Gwanghwamun is the main and largest gate of Gyeongbokgung Palace, located in Seoul
, South Korea
. As a landmark and symbol of Seoul's long history
as the capital city during the Joseon Dynasty
, the gate has gone through multiple periods of destruction and disrepair. Recent restoration work on the gate was finished and revealed to the public on August 15, 2010.
Palace
, the main and most important royal palace during the Joseon Dynasty. During the 1592 Japanese Invasion, it was destroyed by fire and left in ruins for over 250 years.
Gwanghwamun was reconstructed in 1867 along with the rest of Gyeongbokgung Palace by the order of regent Daewongun during the reign of Emperor Gojong
. The gate stood until 1926, when the Japanese government
had it deconstructed and moved it just to the southeast of the current location of the National Folk Museum of Korea
to make way for the massive Japanese Governor General Building
.
The Korean war
completely destroyed the wooden structure of Gwanghwamun, and its stone base lay in complete disrepair and neglect. In 1963, during Park Chung-hee
's administration, the stone base was again relocated in front of the Japanese Governor General Building
. The destroyed wooden structure was rebuilt in concrete
, while the sign on Gwanghwamun was written by Park himself. Gwanghwamun remained as a concrete gate until late 2006.
, now destroyed.
The aim of the latest renovation was to restore Gwanghwamun to its original wooden construction while paying meticulous attention to historical accuracy. The name plate of Gwanghwamun was recreated by analyzing its century-old glass plate photographs, while its wooden structure was devised from a blueprint created in 1925 by the Japanese Colonial Government. Pine wood used in the construction was painstakingly selected in Korea as the use of foreign imported wood for recreating Korea's historic buildings was strictly forbidden.
The area in front of Gwanghwamun, known as the Gwanghwamun Square, was opened with a new plaza area in August 2009.
Gwanghwamun was opened to the public on August 15, 2010 to commemorate Gwangbokjeol
. The project cost 28 billion won, or approximately $24 million. A new name plate on the restored Gwanghwamun was unveiled on the same day. However, cracks in the wooden plate were showing by early November, drawing much concern and public attention. After many debates, a repair to the cracks was made, and the South Korean government announced that a new name plate would be made in the near future.
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
, South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
. As a landmark and symbol of Seoul's long history
History of Seoul
The history of Seoul can be traced back as far as 18 BC. But humans have occupied the area now as Seoul since Paleolithic Age. Counting from now, Seoul has been a major settlement for over 2,000 years...
as the capital city during the Joseon Dynasty
Joseon Dynasty
Joseon , was a Korean state founded by Taejo Yi Seong-gye that lasted for approximately five centuries. It was founded in the aftermath of the overthrow of the Goryeo at what is today the city of Kaesong. Early on, Korea was retitled and the capital was relocated to modern-day Seoul...
, the gate has gone through multiple periods of destruction and disrepair. Recent restoration work on the gate was finished and revealed to the public on August 15, 2010.
History
Gwanghwamun was first constructed in 1395 as the main gate to GyeongbokgungGyeongbokgung
Gyeongbokgung, also known as Gyeongbokgung Palace or Gyeongbok Palace, is a royal palace located in northern Seoul, South Korea. First constructed in 1394 and reconstructed in 1867, it was the main and largest palace of the Five Grand Palaces built by the Joseon Dynasty...
Palace
Palace
A palace is a grand residence, especially a royal residence or the home of a head of state or some other high-ranking dignitary, such as a bishop or archbishop. The word itself is derived from the Latin name Palātium, for Palatine Hill, one of the seven hills in Rome. In many parts of Europe, the...
, the main and most important royal palace during the Joseon Dynasty. During the 1592 Japanese Invasion, it was destroyed by fire and left in ruins for over 250 years.
Gwanghwamun was reconstructed in 1867 along with the rest of Gyeongbokgung Palace by the order of regent Daewongun during the reign of Emperor Gojong
Gojong of Korea
Gojong , the Emperor Gwangmu was the twenty-sixth king of the Korean Joseon Dynasty and the first emperor of the Korean Empire.-King of the Joseon:Gojong took the throne in 1863 when still a child...
. The gate stood until 1926, when the Japanese government
Korea under Japanese rule
Korea was under Japanese rule as part of Japan's 35-year imperialist expansion . Japanese rule ended in 1945 shortly after the Japanese defeat in World War II....
had it deconstructed and moved it just to the southeast of the current location of the National Folk Museum of Korea
National Folk Museum of Korea
National Folk Museum of Korea is a national museum of South Korea, located within the grounds of the Gyeongbokgung Palace in Jongno-gu, Seoul, and uses replicas of historical objects to illustrate the history of traditional life of the Korean people.-History:...
to make way for the massive Japanese Governor General Building
Japanese General Government Building, Seoul
The Japanese Government-General Building was the chief administrative building in Keijo during the Japanese colonial rule of Korea and the seat of the Governor-General of Korea. It was a neo-classical building designed by German architect Georg De Lalande, and was completed in 1926...
.
The Korean war
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
completely destroyed the wooden structure of Gwanghwamun, and its stone base lay in complete disrepair and neglect. In 1963, during Park Chung-hee
Park Chung-hee
Park Chung-hee was a Republic of Korea Army general and the leader of South Korea from 1961 to 1979. He seized power in a military coup and ruled until his assassination in 1979. He has been credited with the industrialization of the Republic of Korea through export-led growth...
's administration, the stone base was again relocated in front of the Japanese Governor General Building
Japanese General Government Building, Seoul
The Japanese Government-General Building was the chief administrative building in Keijo during the Japanese colonial rule of Korea and the seat of the Governor-General of Korea. It was a neo-classical building designed by German architect Georg De Lalande, and was completed in 1926...
. The destroyed wooden structure was rebuilt in concrete
Concrete
Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
, while the sign on Gwanghwamun was written by Park himself. Gwanghwamun remained as a concrete gate until late 2006.
Restoration
Gwanghwamun underwent a major restoration project since December 2006 and was finished in August 2010. The gate was disassembled and moved back to its original location 14.5 meters to the south, and its wooden structure was again reconstructed in wood. It was rotated in order to accurately place the gate to its original location, which perfectly aligns it with the main north-south axis of Gyeongbokgung Palace. The restoration was commenced by the Korean government because an earlier restoration employed concrete instead of traditional materials and wrongly aligned the gate to the entrance of the Governor General BuildingJapanese General Government Building, Seoul
The Japanese Government-General Building was the chief administrative building in Keijo during the Japanese colonial rule of Korea and the seat of the Governor-General of Korea. It was a neo-classical building designed by German architect Georg De Lalande, and was completed in 1926...
, now destroyed.
The aim of the latest renovation was to restore Gwanghwamun to its original wooden construction while paying meticulous attention to historical accuracy. The name plate of Gwanghwamun was recreated by analyzing its century-old glass plate photographs, while its wooden structure was devised from a blueprint created in 1925 by the Japanese Colonial Government. Pine wood used in the construction was painstakingly selected in Korea as the use of foreign imported wood for recreating Korea's historic buildings was strictly forbidden.
The area in front of Gwanghwamun, known as the Gwanghwamun Square, was opened with a new plaza area in August 2009.
Gwanghwamun was opened to the public on August 15, 2010 to commemorate Gwangbokjeol
Gwangbokjeol
Gwangbokjeol, celebrated annually on August 15, is one of the Public holidays in South Korea. It commemorates Victory over Japan Day, which liberated Korea from colonial rule...
. The project cost 28 billion won, or approximately $24 million. A new name plate on the restored Gwanghwamun was unveiled on the same day. However, cracks in the wooden plate were showing by early November, drawing much concern and public attention. After many debates, a repair to the cracks was made, and the South Korean government announced that a new name plate would be made in the near future.
See also
- Japanese General Government Building, SeoulJapanese General Government Building, SeoulThe Japanese Government-General Building was the chief administrative building in Keijo during the Japanese colonial rule of Korea and the seat of the Governor-General of Korea. It was a neo-classical building designed by German architect Georg De Lalande, and was completed in 1926...
- Gyeongbok Palace
- Gwanghwamun StationGwanghwamun StationGwanghwamun Station is a station on the Seoul Subway Line 5 in South Korea. It is not the closest subway station to the actual gate of Gwanghwamun, for which it is named. It is located next to the U.S. Embassy in Seoul....