Ganghwasanseong Fortress

In 1232, fleeing the Mongol invasions, the Goryeo court abandoned its capital Gaegyeong and moved to Ganghwa Island. The walls built to protect the heart of the island during the 39 years that followed were the beginning of Ganghwasanseong Fortress. What survives today – the stone walls and four gates – was rebuilt in the later Joseon period, and it still rings the town of Ganghwa-eup, running along the ridges of Buksan and Namsan hills.

The walls of Goryeo's temporary capital

As the Mongol attacks intensified, the military strongman Choe U moved the capital to Ganghwa in 1232, and work on a palace, walls and government offices began in earnest in 1234. The palace was modelled on the one in Gaegyeong, and even the hill behind it was given the same name, Songak. The fortifications were three rings of earthen walls – inner, middle and outer – and the outer wall along Ganghwa's east coast was the key line that stopped the Mongols from crossing the strait. When the court returned to Gaegyeong in 1270, the peace terms with the Mongols required all the walls to be torn down.

Rebuilt in stone by Joseon

Early in the Joseon period a smaller wall was rebuilt on the line of the old inner wall, but it was badly damaged by Qing troops in the 1637 invasion. Under King Sukjong it was enlarged and rebuilt in stone, taking on its present form, with a circuit of about 7.1 km. Ganghwa went on to see a string of clashes with foreign powers – the French and American expeditions of 1866 and 1871, and the 1876 Treaty of Ganghwa with Japan. The eastern section of the wall has disappeared, but the stretches on the southern and northern slopes have been restored and can be walked.

The four gates

• South Gate (Anparu): built in 1711, washed away by heavy rain in 1955 and rebuilt in 1975. The outer signboard reads "Ganghwa Nammun", the inner one "Anparu". It is close to Ganghwa Bus Terminal and makes a good starting point.
• East Gate (Manghallu): stands in front of a wide lawn and is lit up at night.
• West Gate (Cheomhwaru): once guarded the western entrance to the town.
• North Gate (Jinsongnu): about 400 m up the road to the left of the Goryeo Palace Site. It had no pavilion until 1783, when the Ganghwa governor Kim No-jin added one and named it Jinsongnu. Restored wall sections run off on both sides.

The walls also keep four secret gates (ammun) and two water gates.

Walking the walls

Starting at the South or North Gate and following the wall along the ridges, you look down over the rooftops of Ganghwa-eup and the surrounding fields. Combined with the Goryeo Palace Site near the North Gate and the Anglican Church in town, the walk ties together Ganghwa's history from the Goryeo capital to modern times. The Buksan section has some climbs, so wear comfortable shoes.

Tripto tips

• Visiting: the walls and gates are an open-air site with no ticket, accessible at any time.
• Time needed: 1–2 hours for two or three gates plus the Goryeo Palace Site; allow half a day to walk the full circuit.
• Getting there: the South Gate is a few minutes' walk from Ganghwa Bus Terminal. From Seoul, take one of the intercity or express buses that run to Ganghwa Bus Terminal.
• Best time: April–May, when the hills turn green, or a cool autumn day. The East Gate area is worth seeing after dark, when it is floodlit.