Hongjimun Gate and Tangchundaeseong Fortress

On the road to Segeomjeong, a five-arched water gate and a gate with a wooden tower stand side by side over the Hongjecheon stream. Hongjimun and its wall, Tangchundaeseong, were built in the late Joseon period to close the gap between the Seoul City Wall and Bukhansanseong Fortress. Traffic rushes past, but step down to the stream and you see the capital's defence system right in front of you.

History: a wall to join two fortresses

The fall of the capital during the Japanese and Manchu invasions left deep scars on the Joseon court. King Sukjong repaired the city wall, built Bukhansanseong in 1711 and then ordered a wall to link the two. Hongjimun went up in 1715, and work on Tangchundaeseong began in 1718 and was finished the following year. The wall ran for about 4 km, from the northeast of Inwangsan across the Hongjecheon to below Bibong peak on Bukhansan.

The name comes from Tangchundae, a terrace east of Segeomjeong where the tyrant king Yeonsangun held banquets; the site is now Segeomjeong Elementary School. Inside the walls lay a drill ground, Yeonyungdae, and grain stores for the army.

The gate and water gate collapsed in a flood in 1921, lay in ruins for over 50 years and were rebuilt in 1977.

What to see

• Hongjimun: a gate tower of three by two bays on a granite arch. Lying north of the capital it was also called Hanbukmun, and it is thought to have served as the real north gate after Sukjeongmun was closed in 1413.
• Five-arch water gate: spans the Hongjecheon; the rebuilt structure is about 26.7 m long.
• Tangchundaeseong wall: surviving sections run along the ridge north of Sangmyung University, built of evenly sized square stones in the typical style of Sukjong's reign.
• Hidden gate (ammun): a small passage through the wall that you pass on the trail.

Good to know

• The current name board is not King Sukjong's calligraphy but was written by President Park Chung-hee for the 1977 rebuilding.
• The site was listed as Seoul tangible cultural heritage in 1976.
• Firing holes were cut through the wall at regular intervals so that defenders could shoot westward at an enemy. The enclosed area became a base of the Chongyungcheong capital-defence command, with government storehouses and the upper and lower army granaries.

Nearby

• Segeomjeong Pavilion: a short walk upstream along the Hongjecheon.
• Inwangsan: the Tangchundaeseong wall leads towards Inwangsan, so you can link it with a fortress hike.
• Bugaksan: via Buam-dong and Baeksasil Valley you can continue to the city wall on Bugaksan.

Tripto tips

• Getting there: the nearest subway stations are some way off; take a bus to the Hongjimun stop on Segeomjeong-ro.
• Visiting: gate and water gate are always accessible and free. There is no dedicated parking.
• Photo tip: go down to the stream path to frame the water gate and tower together, ideally after rain when water runs through the arches.
• Time needed: 20–30 minutes for the gates, 1–2 hours if you walk the wall trail or on to Segeomjeong.