Namhansanseong Fortress

Namhansanseong is a mountain fortress on Namhansan in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province, southeast of Seoul, built as a fortified town where the king could govern in wartime as an emergency capital. Its walls run for 12.4 km, and inside there is a temporary palace, a village and temples. It was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2014, and as a provincial park it has well-kept trails along the walls.

History: from Silla's Jujangseong to Joseon's refuge

Records trace it back to Jujangseong, built in 672 under King Munmu of Unified Silla. Under Gwanghaegun of Joseon, in 1621, the site was chosen as a refuge fortress and work began; between 1624 and 1626, under King Injo, Yi Seo rebuilt the walls on the old foundations, giving the fortress its present form. Buddhist monk-soldiers from all eight provinces were recruited for the work. When the Qing invasion began in 1636, King Injo fled here and held out against the Qing army, but when food ran out he left through the gates and surrendered at Samjeondo. Outer walls such as Hanbongseong (under King Sukjong) and Sinnamseong (1719) were added later. In 1907 Japanese troops destroyed many buildings, and when the county office moved away in 1917 the fortress became a quiet mountain village, which is partly why its original layout survived so well. It was turned into a park in the 1950s under President Syngman Rhee; the walls became a Historic Site in 1963 and the area a Gyeonggi provincial park in 1971.

What to see

• Namhansanseong Haenggung: the temporary palace completed in 1625; records describe an upper palace of 72.5 bays and a lower palace of 154 bays. After excavation and reconstruction it has been open to the public since 2012.
• Sueojangdae: the command post on the western wall, from which commanders watched the ground and directed troops in battle; designated Gyeonggi Tangible Cultural Heritage No. 1.
• West Gate: a small gate just 1.46 m wide and 2.1 m high. King Injo passed through it with the crown prince on his way to surrender at Samjeondo.
• East Gate (Jwaingmun): in the southeast of the fortress, the most heavily used gate.
• Wall trails: Course 1 from Sanseong Rotary via the North Gate, West Gate, Sueojangdae and South Gate is about 3.8 km and takes 1 hour 20 minutes. Course 5, a large loop around the fortress, is about 7.7 km and takes 3 hours 20 minutes.

Stories in the gates and walls

• South Gate (Jihwamun): in the southwest of the fortress, with an arch 4.75 m high and 3.35 m wide. It received the name Jihwamun during repairs in 1779 and is the only one of the four main gates whose name board survives. King Injo first entered the fortress through this gate during the Qing invasion.
• North Gate (Jeonseungmun): at about 365 m above sea level; in the Joseon period tax grain brought by river was carried on people's backs through this gate into the fortress.
• Ongseong: five bastions projecting from the walls to protect them, including the one at Yeonjubong.
• Water gate and wells: the walls follow ridges at about 370–400 m above sea level. The ground slopes from west to east, so most water drains out through the water gate south of the East Gate. There are said to have been 80 wells and ponds inside the walls.
• Sigumun (Secret Gate No. 11): the bodies of some 300 Catholic martyrs of the persecutions of 1801, 1839 and 1866 are said to have been thrown out through this gate, and it is now a pilgrimage site for Catholics.

Good to know

The main wall is about 7,545 m around, with outer walls added on. The fortress could house around 4,000 people. Unlike other mountain fortresses, Namhansanseong had a village and its own royal ancestral shrine and altar inside, so the state could keep running if the king left the capital. Stones and building techniques from the 7th to the 19th century are mixed in the walls, and a close look reveals how fortification methods changed over time. Large markets were held inside the walls in the past, and today a cluster of restaurants makes it easy to eat after a walk.

Tripto tips

• Admission: the entrance fee for the fortress was abolished in 2007, so the walls and trails are free. Only the Haenggung charges: KRW 2,000 for adults (19–64), KRW 1,000 for ages 7–18; visitors aged 65 and over and those in traditional dress enter free.
• Haenggung hours: Apr–Oct 10:00–18:00, Nov–Mar 10:00–17:00, closed every Monday (except public holidays). Tickets are sold until 30 minutes before closing.
• Getting there: from Sanseong Station (Line 8) take bus 52 or 9 (also 9-1 on holidays) to the terminus "Namhansanseong", 26–43 minutes. Jamsil Station to Sanseong Station takes about 19 minutes on Line 8.
• Parking: the car parks inside the fortress charge a fee, paid on exit.
• Time needed: 2–3 hours for the Haenggung and Course 1, half a day if you walk the full circuit. The wall trails include climbs and steps, so wear comfortable shoes.