Haemieupseong Fortress

Most old Korean fortresses cling to hills or rivers, but Haemieupseong was built in an egg-shaped ring around a low rise and a wide stretch of flat ground. Step through the gate and you find open lawns dotted with government buildings and old trees, and a walk along the top of the walls takes in the whole town inside and out. It was a key military base for Chungcheong Province in the Joseon era and, later, a place where Catholic believers were persecuted. It was designated a Historic Site in 1963.

History: from army base to place of martyrdom

With Japanese pirates raiding the coast since the late Goryeo period, Joseon decided to move the provincial army headquarters here from Deoksan, and the walls were built between 1417 and 1421. Some sources, however, give 1491, so the dates differ. After the army headquarters moved to Cheongju in 1652, the Haemi county office took over the fortress and held military command over the surrounding Naepo region until 1914. The young Yi Sun-sin, later Korea's most famous admiral, served here for ten months in 1579 as an officer under the provincial army commander.

During the persecutions of Catholics in the late Joseon period, the Haemi garrison rounded up believers from the region and executed them here; more than 1,000 are said to have died. In August 2014 Pope Francis visited Haemi and celebrated the closing Mass of Asian Youth Day at the fortress.

What to see

• The walls: about 1.8 km around and some 5 m high. Large stones form the base, with smaller ones higher up, and the inside is backed with earth so you can walk along the top. Trifoliate orange bushes were once planted around the walls, earning it the nickname "Taengja Fortress".
• Jinnammun Gate: the main south gate is a stone archway of finely dressed blocks. The east and west gates were rebuilt in 1974.
• The pagoda tree and the prison: the Chinese scholar tree, thought to be over 300 years old, is said to have been used to hang and torture Catholics during the persecution of 1866. Next to it is the prison, rebuilt from historical records.
• Dongheon, Gaeksa and Cheongheojeong: the magistrate's office and the guesthouse for official visitors have been reconstructed. The hilltop pavilion Cheongheojeong was even used as a Shinto shrine under Japanese rule.

Nearby

• Haemi Martyrs' Shrine (Yeosutgol): where Catholics taken from the fortress were executed and buried; today it is a shrine with a memorial hall. In 2014 Pope Francis attended the unveiling of a memorial to the martyrs here.
• Rock-carved Buddha Triad in Yonghyeon-ri, Seosan: a late Baekje National Treasure carved into a cliff on Gayasan, known as "the smile of Baekje" for its gentle expression.
• Sudeoksa Temple: a major temple at the foot of Deoksungsan, around 20 minutes from the fortress by car.

Tripto tips

• Hours and fees: open 05:00–21:00 from March to October and 06:00–19:00 from November to February; admission and parking are listed as free.
• Time needed: 1–2 hours is plenty for a loop inside and a walk on the walls.
• Activities and festival: inside the walls you can try traditional games such as arrow-throwing, kite flying and Korean archery. The annual autumn festival fills the fortress with visitors.