Hwaseong Fortress, 화성, is a stone and brick Fortress in Suwon, Korea, where it remains as an UNESCO world heritage site. It was built by King Jeongjo of the Joseon Dynasty in the late 1700s, when he planned to move the capital of Joseon from Seoul to Suwon. The Fortress itself was a show of power and a tribute to his late father, and to this day it proudly displays Korea’s historical architectural style. The walls of the fortress span 3.5 miles, and because of the hilly terrain, these walls can be seen from afar. However, we know that Suwon never became the capital as the King passed before it could take place. Looking at Seoul’s proximity to the North Korean Border, I’m sure citizens wish it had been otherwise.
Today, it remains very much a part of the city, and in order to preserve as much of the fortress as possible, roads have been paved under the walls where possible, and a good amount of the area are like parks. When I went to Suwon, I would unintentionally see this fortress everytime. There are a lot of activities set up by the fortress, such as a tethered hot balloon allowing overviews of the city, and outdoor target archery in the fields of the fortress itself. The walls themselves have small holes every so often, which I guess were used to fit tools to apprehend intruders. There are also outposts on the wall that give nice views, and overall it is a nice fit to the otherwise modern city.
Some pictures of the fortress:
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