Ganghwa Island

Ganghwa Island sits in the estuary where the Han River flows into the Yellow Sea. Because it guarded the waterway into Seoul, one island holds layer upon layer of Korean history, from prehistoric dolmens and a Goryeo palace site to coastal forts that fought foreign fleets at the end of the Joseon period. At around 300 km² it is South Korea's fourth-largest island, and bridges to Gimpo make it an easy day trip from Seoul. About 65,500 people live on the island, half of them in Ganghwa town in the north-east.

History: the gateway to the Han River

Neolithic comb-pattern pottery has been found on Ganghwa, and more than 100 Bronze Age dolmens have been recorded. In the Three Kingdoms period Baekje and Goguryeo fought over the island. Before the 10th century it went by names such as Haegu ("mouth of the sea") and Hyeolgu; its current name, read as "beautiful town by the river", dates from 940 in the Goryeo period. The island was once joined to the mainland and became separate through erosion; its coastline is 106.5 km long.

When the Mongols invaded in 1232, the Goryeo court moved the capital to Ganghwa and held out there for about 39 years. During this time the Tripitaka Koreana woodblocks were carved on the island, and the Chamseongdan altar on Manisan is said to have been used to pray for the country. Under King Sukjong of Joseon, 53 watch posts (dondae) were built on the headlands, turning the whole island into a fortress.

In the 19th century foreign fleets attacked one after another. During the French campaign of 1866 books from the royal library on the island were looted, followed by the American expedition of 1871 and the Japanese Unyo incident of 1875. The Treaty of Ganghwa, signed in 1876, is named after the island.

What to see

• Ganghwa dolmens: together with Gochang and Hwasun, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000. The protected Ganghwa sites cover about 12.27 ha, mostly scattered over hillsides. Ganghwa's dolmens stand mainly on the slopes around Goryeosan, and table-shaped northern-style and low southern-style dolmens appear side by side. The Bugeun-ri dolmen is a good example.
• Gwangseongbo, Chojijin and Deokjinjin: coastal forts that saw heavy fighting in 1871. Gates, walls and old cannons remain, with Gimpo just across the water.
• Chamseongdan on Manisan: an altar on top of Manisan (469 m), the island's highest peak, where Dangun, the legendary founder of Korea, is said to have made offerings to heaven.
• Goryeo palace site: the place where the Goryeo royal palace is said to have stood during the resistance against the Mongols.
• Ganghwa Anglican Church: the oldest hanok church in Korea, a church building under a traditional tiled roof.
• Ganghwa Nadeulgil: a network of 20 walking routes linking mudflats, bird habitats and historic sites.

More places worth knowing

• Samnangseong and Jeondeungsa: Samnangseong, a fortress that legend says Dangun had his three sons build, can be visited together with the old temple Jeondeungsa nearby.
• Oegyujanggak site: where King Jeongjo of Joseon built a branch of the royal library. French troops looted its books in 1866.
• Gapgot Dondae and Deokjinjin: late-Joseon coastal defences restored in the 1970s, which together with Gwangseongbo and Chojijin make up the island's defence heritage.
• Pungmul Market: a market for the island's produce, from grain and vegetables to seafood and ginseng.

Island farming and festivals

Ganghwa's ginseng took off when refugees from Kaesong started growing it during the Korean War. Land reclamation, begun in the Goryeo period, enlarged the island, and wide rice fields and mudflats now shape its scenery. Every year the Azalea Festival on Goryeosan is held in mid-April, the Salted Shrimp Festival at Oepo-ri in early October and the Ginseng Festival in mid-October. It is also worth knowing that the late-Joseon scholar Jeong Je-du spent his life on the island and founded the Ganghwa school of thought.

Did you know

• On clear days you can see North Korean villages on the Kaesong side from the north of the island, less than 2 km away. It is one of the closest views of North Korea from the South.
• Ganghwa turnips have been grown here for more than 1,000 years; they have purple skin and a mustard-like scent.
• Ganghwa was also a place of exile for the deposed kings Yeonsangun and Gwanghaegun.

Tripto tips

• Getting there: you cross from Gimpo on the Ganghwa Bridge or the Choji Bridge (opened 2002). The subway does not reach the island, so come by bus or car. Sights are spread out, and a car is by far the easiest way to get around.
• Time needed: the dolmens, the coastal forts and Ganghwa town take a full day. If you also want to climb Manisan, consider staying a night.
• When to go: spring azaleas on Goryeosan and the autumn festival season are best. Around National Foundation Day (3 October) ceremonies are held at Chamseongdan.
• Good to know: parts of the coast are military zones with fences and no-entry areas. Always follow the signs, and check the tide times before walking onto the mudflats.