Post-election drama aside, it has been a lulzy week. I am currently fighting off sleepiness as I type this post, and it’s only midmorning (which does not bode well for the rest of the day, oh dear me). But the day is still young, so let me take this opportunity to take you to Hwaseong Fortress, a must-see (in my opinion) if you find yourself in Seoul or Gyeonggi-do anytime soon.
The first time Hwaseong Fortress came to my radar was during our trip earlier in the year in Coron, where we spent a day island-hopping with a Korean family of four. Over lunch, the father suggested that we visit their hometown, Suwon, which is where the Samsung Digital City is also located. He said that we should definitely check out the Hwaseong Fortress, which also happens to be a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site. I mentally tucked that in, and when it was time to plan our itinerary for our 5-day trip to Seoul, we found a window and placed it there.
Let’s get this out of the way first.
Suwon Hwaseong literally translates to “brilliant castle or fortress” is designated by the Korean Government as Historical Site No. 3. How it was built to surround the City made it more of a fortress, really, which is how it is known today, as the Hwaseong Fortress.
Under the reign of King Jeongjo, the fortress was constructed from 1794 to 1796, and it is 5.7 km long, with the wall height ranging from 4.9 to 6.2 meters. It has 4 main gates, with smaller structures in between. It goes around the City, with the Hwaseong Haenggung smack dab in the middle. Stones and bricks were used in the construction of the fortress and, over the years, repairs and reconstruction were done.
After wandering around the temporary palace Hwaseong Haenggung, we followed what the helpful lady at the Tourist Booth instructed and took that short hike up to the Western Command Post. According to her, it’s a good vantage point to see the entire city and the expanse of the fortress.
Again, just like in the Palace, there was almost no one about. Except for another group, whose chatters we followed as we walked up.
Less than ten minutes later, we arrived at a small road that is supposedly the route of a shuttle that takes visitors on a ride around the fortress. I don’t think the shuttle was in operation at that time because the booth was also closed.
By the way, if you want, you can walk a bit further down the road to go to the Hwaseong Museum. We were aiming for the Command Post so we pressed on upward.
It’s not a difficult hike, but it sure does get you winded, especially when you didn’t have a proper warm up. There are stairs constructed, with resting areas at certain points, so you can sit down for a bit, catch your breath.
If you keep walking up, though, you can get to the top in 5 to 7 minutes, tops.
When you finally arrive at the top, you’ll get a glimpse of Suwon from the distance. And breathe the cool, fresh air! 🙂
Oh, yes, there was another sign that indicates that the variety show 1 Night 2 Days filmed here. Man, I should look for those episodes. I don’t think I’ve watched them.
We finally arrived at the Seojangdae, or the Western Command Post. This jangdae, or “command post” is built on the summit of Mt. Paldal (so yes, we were on the summit of Mt. Paldal at that moment). Its elevation and location makes it the perfect spot for soldiers and sentries to spot any sign of enemies in the nearby areas.
One of the two main structures in this command post is the Seojangdae Pavilion, pictured below.
We found other local tourists lounging inside the Pavilion, but I was more taken in by the entire spread of Suwon before me.
Oh, and lookie, there’s the Hwaseong Haenggung! Or parts of it.
Aside from the Pavilion, another structure of note is the Seonodae, an octagonal brick structure.
A nodae is a “raised platform” on a fortress, which means that “seonodae” is the “Western Cross-bow Platform”. It is in this platform that troops defend the fortress by firing multiple volleys of arrows at the enemies.
Hwaseong has two of these platforms: this one on the Western section, and another on the Northeastern area.
From up top the nodae, you get a view of the surrounding areas. I was never too interested in military history, but I’ve always been amazed at the ingenuity of military minds.
Again, this is another proof of how the Koreans value their culture, their heritage, and history. They pour money into reconstructions and restorations, and the result is a heritage that is preserved for the future Koreans – and the rest of the world – to behold and appreciate.
After staying in the area for 30 minutes, we set off to walk what we could of the Fortress. Our next stop: the gates of Hwaseong, with Hwaseomun being the first one. See you then!
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