Busosanseong Fortress

A low wooded hill on the south bank of the Baengmagang River watched over the last days of Sabi, the final capital of the Baekje kingdom. Busosanseong Fortress is thought to have served as a royal retreat in peacetime and as the city's last line of defence in war, and its forest paths link a military granary site, old pavilions, the Nakhwaam cliff and Goransa Temple in one walk. In 2015 it was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List as part of the Baekje Historic Areas, together with the palace site at Gwanbuk-ri below.

History: a double ring of walls for a new capital

The fortress was most likely built in 538, when King Seong moved the Baekje capital from Ungjin (today's Gongju) to Sabi (today's Buyeo) and needed to protect the royal palace. A smaller ring wall around the summit probably already existed, and some researchers think the fortress reached its present form in the early 7th century. It combines a summit ring wall with an outer wall that wraps around the valleys, a hybrid layout about 2.2 km in circumference. Old records call it Sabiseong or Soburiseong; the modern name comes from the mountain. After Baekje fell, Unified Silla repaired and kept using the walls, and a roof tile inscribed with a date corresponding to 847 helped archaeologists date that work. It was designated a Historic Site in 1963.

What to see

• Gunchangji (military granary site): in 1915 carbonised grain was found underground here, and excavations still turn up burnt grain, a vivid trace of the fall of Sabi in 660.
• Yeongillu and Sajaru pavilions: Yeongillu on the eastern peak is known as the spot for greeting the sunrise; Sajaru stands near the highest point of the hill.
• Nakhwaam and Baekhwajeong: from the Baekhwajeong pavilion above the cliff you look straight down onto the river. The tale of Baekje court ladies leaping to their deaths here is a legend that historians do not take as fact. The cliff bears the characters "Nakhwaam" said to have been written by the late Joseon scholar Song Si-yeol.
• Goransa Temple: a small temple on the riverbank beneath the cliff, with the pier for river cruise boats right below it.
• Samchungsa Shrine: honours Seongchung, Heungsu and Gyebaek, three loyal officials of Baekje's final years.

Good to know

• In October 2025 archaeologists announced the remains of a Baekje-era ice storage pit inside the fortress, 7 by 8 m and 2.5 m deep. A small jar, probably an offering to the earth deity, was found buried in it with five Chinese coins inside.
• Sources differ on the height of Busosan: 96.4 m or 106 m. Either way, the climb is short and easy.
• Every autumn the Daebaekje Festival takes place around Buyeo.

Nearby

• Jeongnimsa Temple Site: about 1.3 km south, a walk of 20-odd minutes, with one of the two surviving Baekje stone pagodas.
• Gwanbuk-ri site: the flat ground at the foot of the fortress, where roads and drainage channels were excavated; it is thought to be the site of the Sabi royal palace and is listed together with Busosanseong in the World Heritage property.
• Gudeurae pier: the landing for Baengmagang river boats, linked with the Goransa pier.
• Gongsanseong Fortress and King Muryeong's tomb, Gongju: 30 to 40 minutes by car, the World Heritage sites from Ungjin, the capital before Sabi, make a two-day Baekje trip.

Tripto tips

• Opening hours: March to October 09:00–18:00, November to February 09:00–17:00.
• Admission: adults KRW 2,000, teenagers KRW 1,100, children KRW 1,000, including Nakhwaam and Goransa. Free for children aged 6 and under, visitors aged 65 and over, and Buyeo residents.
• Time and route: the path linking the main sights is about 2.2 km, so plan 1.5 to 3 hours. Taking a river boat from the Goransa pier back towards Gudeurae saves retracing your steps (check on site whether boats are running).
• Combine with: Jeongnimsa Temple Site and Buyeo National Museum are within walking distance, and the "Sabi-gil" walking route connects Jeongnimsa with the fortress. The forest paths are at their best in fresh spring green and autumn colour.