Hwaseong Fortress
Hwaseong Fortress, Suwon
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Planning the visit
Hwaseong Fortress is stop 2 of 9 on the Royalty Route.
The stamp is not at the site itself but at the Information desk at the Suwon Hwaseong Museum, so check the opening hours of that building rather than the site.
Admission is charged: Adults KRW 1,000 / Teenagers, Soldiers KRW 700 / Children KRW 500 Haeunggung - Adults KRW 1,500 / Teenagers, Soldiers KRW 1,000 / Children KRW 700 (free admission for visitors wearing Hanbok outfits).
The two closest stamp points are Yungneung and Geolleung Royal Tombs, 8.8 km away, and Namhansanseong Fortress at 27 km. All three fit into one day.
Details
- Address
- Janganmun Gate: 910, Jeongjo-ro, Paldal-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do Paldalmun Gate: 780, Jeongjo-ro, Paldal-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do Hwaseong Haenggung: 825, Jeongjo-ro, Paldal-gu, Suwon-si
- Stamp zone
- Information desk at the Suwon Hwaseong Museum
- Hours
- 09:00 - 17:00 (Closed every Monday)
- Admission
- Adults KRW 1,000 / Teenagers, Soldiers KRW 700 / Children KRW 500 Haeunggung - Adults KRW 1,500 / Teenagers, Soldiers KRW 1,000 / Children KRW 700 (free admission for visitors wearing Hanbok outfits)
- Website
- www.swcf.or.kr
- Coordinates
- 37.28763, 126.99650
What the campaign says about it
King Jeongjo, the 22nd monarch of the Joseon Dynasty, relocated the tomb of his father, Crown Prince Sado, to Hwasan in Suwon (currently, Hwaseong, Gyeonggi-do), which was known as the most auspicious place for a burial tomb. In 1796 CE (20th year of King Jeongjo), a new city was built under Paldalsan Mountain in Suwon to serve as a new base for the people of Hwasan (Hwaseong), and also to eradicate the severe conflict between political factions in the royal court. This new city became Suwon Hwaseong. The Suwon Hwaseong Fortress, which was designed by Jeong Yak-yong and built under the supervision of Chae Je-gong, was a walled city that served residential, defensive, and commercial functions. This planned city featured the latest science, technology, architecture from both the East and West available at the time. It is a unique example of city-building, and a rarity found nowhere else around the world. Inside the Fortress, which takes advantage of the surrounding natural terrain, features facilities such as the Gongsimdon, Poru, Nodae, Bongdon, and Ammun to effectively defend against and attack enemy forces. A big reason why Hwaseong looks elegant and sophisticated despite the fact that it is, in essence, a stone fortress, is because of Paldalmun Gate, Hwahongmun Gate, and Banghwasuryujeong. Paldalmun Gate is a barbican structure that shields the Gate itself behind another semi-circular wall, whereas Hwahongmun Gate protects the Fortress from floods (Suwoncheon River is nearby) and invaders, and Banghwasuryujeong is both a military command center and a place to rest for soldiers. Banghwasuryujeong (Dongbukgaknu Pavilion) in particular, which overlooks a pond, is considered one of the best buildings in all of Suwon Hwaseong Fortress. Meanwhile, Suwon Hwaseong also features a Haenggung Temporary Palace. A Haenggung refers to a palace where the king temporarily stays when he ventures outside his royal palace. The Haeunggung Temporary Palace in Suwon Hwaseong Fortress was built for King Jeongjo whenever he made the trip to the resting place of his father, Crown Prince Sado. When the King was not in Suwon, the Haenggung was used as the local administrative office. Bongsudang, the main hall of Hwaseong Haenggung, hosted the 61st birthday of King Jeongjo’s mother, Lady Hyegyeong, in 1795 CE (19th year of King Jeongjo). Suwon Paldalmun Gate is the southern gate of Hwaseong Fortress in Suwon. On the outside of the Gate is a semi-circular barbican designed to protect the Gate. This barbican was restored to its original condition in 1975 based on historical research. The Gate used to be connected to the Fortress wall to the left and right. The wall, however, was dismantled to make way for a road. Suwon Banghwasuryujeong was built in 1794 CE (18th year of King Jeongjo). Although the pavilion, which sits in the northeast corner of Hwaseong Fortress, was designed to serve as a military command, it was built using a mix of masoned stone, lumber, and bricks to make sure it could serve as a normal pavilion during peacetime. Banghwasuryujeong was repaired in 1848 CE (14th year of King Heonjong), and partially repaired several times after Korea won its independence from Japan. Suwon Hwaseong Haenggung Built in 1789 CE (13th year of King Jeongjo) as a government office when Suwon-eup was relocated from Annyeong-myeon to the foothills of Paldalsan Mountain, the Haenggung also served as a temporary palace whenever King Jeongjo traveled to Suwon. In 1909, locals started using Hwaseong Haenggung as a hospital. Now, most of the building has been demolished - only the Naknamheon remains.
Quoted from the Visit Korean Heritage Campaign.
Getting there
Janganmun Gate: Get off at Sadang Station on subway line no. 4 → Take bus no. 7770 at the Sadang station (exit no. 4) bus stop → Get off at Jangan Park bus stop → Walk for 3 minutes Paldalmun Gate: Take bus no. 8800 at the Myeongdong Gookmin Bank bus stop → Get off at Yeonmu-dong bus stop, then transfer to village bus no. 1 → Get off at Paldalmun Gate/Suwon Paik Hospital bus stop → Walk for 2 minutes Hwaseong Haenggung: Take bus no. 8800 at the Myeongdong Gookmin Bank bus stop → Get off at Yeonmu-dong bus stop
Photographs
Photographs supplied by the Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation.