Hwaseong Fortress in Suwon, South Korea

One of my favorite places in South Korea is Hwaseong Fortress in Suwon. It was built in the latter part of the Joseon Dynasty, which was between 1392 and 1910. According to the website Visit Korea travel page it was built as a display of the king's filial piety toward his father Jangheonseja and to build a new pioneer city with its own economic power.

There are four gates known as Jangganmun (north), Paldalmun (south), Changnyongmun (east), and Hwaseomun (west). Seven-arch style sumuns straddle straddle the point where it reaches a stream nearby. Above the Sumun gates is a pavilion called Hwahongmun.

Hwaseong Fortress was constructed under the guidance of Yu Hyeong Won (1622-1673) and Jeong Yak Yong (1762-1836) and was built using Seokjae and Jeondol bricks. The holes were just big enough to fire guns, arrows, or spears in case of an attack.

During the battle of June 25th many parts of the fortress got seriously damaged and although much of the fortress was repaired during the reparation (1975-1979), the areas between Paldalmun to Dongnamgakru (an area 491 meters in length) have not been restored.

My favorite section was at the top walking through this passageway. You can see how strong the doorway is and how old it is:

The walls were on both sides with flags on each side. I felt like marching like a king!

A variety of performances happen here daily and you can enjoy the Suwon Hwaseong Cultural Festival in autumn. You can see a picture from the top of the fortress and the celebrations below:

A bunch of students are preparing for Samulnori performances in the picture below:

And since it's right next to Hwaseong Fortress, you can also visit Hwaseong Haenggung Palace for a small charge (W1,500 for adults). It was a temporary palace for King Jeongjo (1776-1800) to retreat to during a war. Not only was it a place for him to retreat to, but it was also a place for him to worship his father's tomb.

There are various ways to get there. Here's a link that will help you get to where you need. Enjoy your trip to Suwon!

Scott Worden (The L.A./Seoul Guy)
Instagram: l.a.seoulguy