Top 8 Castles in South Korea

This is a watchtower for monitoring the surroundings and attacking enemies. Its Korean name, gongsimon, means "hollow outpost." This is because a gongsimdon conventionally has no facilities in its tall brick tower apart from an inner staircase and arrowslits in the walls. In Korea, this kind of watchtower was only constructed in Hwaseong Fortress. There were originally three watchtowers in Hwaseong Fortress, but only two remain today. The Northeastern Watchtower is the only cylindrical brick building constructed during the Joseon period. It consists of three floors and is topped with a pavilion. It is also called "Soragak," literally meaning "conch tower," referring to the shape of the spiral staircase inside. This watchtower was largely destroyed during the Korean War (1950-1953) and was reconstructed in 1976.

Abastion, called chi in Korean, was a structure projecting outward from a fortress wall, which was designed to attack approaching enemies from the side. The name chi comes from the Chinese character for pheasant, because pheasants are good at hiding and peeping. Hwaseong Fortress has a total of 10 bastions. The Western Bastion I is located where the fortress wall is sharply bent between the Northwestern Corner Pavilion and the Western Artillery Pavilion. As this was an important defense point, the bastion was built very close to the corner pavilion.

A secret entrance, called ammun in Korean, was an emergency passage used to bring supplies and food into the fortress, without being noticed by the enemy. In Hwaseong Fortress, there were a total of five secret entrances. The Western Secret Entrance has strategic importance because it is located near the Western Command Post of Hwaseong Fortress. To prevent it from being seen from a distance, the fortress wall was bent inward and the entrance is accessible from the side. The rounded wall outside the entrance is made of bricks instead of stones which creates a unique appearance. The Western Secret Entrance has largely maintained its original structure which dates back to 1796.

A guard pavilion, called poru in Korean, is an outwardly projecting structure topped with a pavilion that functioned as a soldiers' lookout. There are five guard pavilions in Hwaseong Fortress. The Western Guard Pavilion was built near the summit of Paldalsan Mountain. This guard pavilion was designed to utilize the geographical characteristics of the steep slope, such that soldiers could effectively attack an approaching enemy.

Namhansanseong is a historic fortress located about 25 kilometers southeast of Seoul. The fortress was built in the 17th century and served as the temporary capital of Korea during the Joseon Dynasty. The history of Namhansanseong began in 1636, when the Korean King Injo decided to build a fortress to protect himself from attacks by the Qing Dynasty from China. The fortress was built on a mountain and surrounded by a wall over 7 kilometers long. The fortress was strategically important and served as a refuge for the king and his government during wars with the Qing. Over time, however, the fortress also became an important cultural and religious center. Today, Namhansanseong is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a popular tourist destination. The fortress is well-preserved and offers visitors a variety of historic buildings and structures, including temples, palaces, and fortifications. The fortress is also known for its impressive architecture and breathtaking views of the surrounding landscape. Visitors can explore the fortress and experience Korean history and culture. Overall, Namhansanseong is an important part of Korean history and culture and a must-see for any visitor to Seoul. The fortress offers a unique opportunity to experience Korea's past and admire the beauty of Korean architecture. ‎<This message has been edited. The descent towards Seoul is truly beautiful, but you have to be careful because of the long curves.

Busanjinseong Busan City Walls Busan Metropolitan City Monument No. 7 Busanjin was a strategic military base where, in the 7th year of King Taejong's reign (1407), the naval command of the left-wing Gyeongsang Province was stationed to defend the southeast coast of Korea. In the 21st year of King Seongjong's reign (1490), Busanjinseong Fortress was built beneath Mount Jeungsan to protect numerous warships, naval forces, and supplies. In the 25th year of King Seonjo's reign (1592), during the Imjin War, the Japanese general Mori Terumoto destroyed Busanjinseong Fortress and built the main fortress, Jeungsan Waeseong Fortress, on the summit of Mount Jeungsan, as well as a branch fortress (a fortress built outside the main fortress) on the southeast coast to defend the main fortress. After the war, in the 40th year of King Seonjo's reign (1607), the Joseon Navy relocated its base to Jiseong and renamed it Busanjinseong. The perimeter of the Busanjinseong fortress in use at that time was approximately 2.25 km. The four gates to the east, west, south, and north were Jindongmun (鎮東門), Geumrugwan (金壘關), Jinnammun (鎮南門), and Gujangru (龜藏樓), and a gate tower (a tall house or attic built on top of a gate) was built. At the top of the castle, at Jaseongdae, they also built Mangongdan in memory of Mansedeok, a Ming general who fought in the Imjin War. Afterward, the castle was demolished during the Japanese colonial period as part of the urban development plan, and most of its original appearance was lost. However, in 1974, as part of the Busanjinseong Fortress cleanup project, the Geunchunmun East Gate (formerly Jindongmun), the Geumnu-gwan West Gate, and the Jinnamdae General's Platform were restored. Busanjinseong Fortress is a site that preserves the 500-year history of the Joseon Navy and the ancestors who risked their lives to protect the country. It is also considered of great historical value, as it can be used to study the Japanese castle built during the Imjin War and the naval base built using the Japanese castle in the late Joseon Dynasty.

The public road starting from Paldang is not in good condition and has only one lane in each direction, so if you are not used to riding on public roads, you need to be very careful.

Palace complex that has gained importance in Korea's recent history. The buildings constructed in western style also date from this period.