Seoul City Wall (Hanyangdoseong)

The Seoul City Wall (Hanyangdoseong) encircled Hanyang, the capital of the Joseon dynasty, running for about 18.6 km along the ridges of Baegak (Bugaksan), Naksan, Namsan (Mongmyeoksan) and Inwangsan. It served as the capital's wall for 514 years, from 1396 to 1910, longer than any other surviving city wall of a capital. Walking the "Sunseong" trail beside it shows you Seoul's mountains, old hillside villages and modern skyline all at once.

History: a wall built in 98 days

In the first lunar month of 1396 King Taejo summoned about 118,000 labourers from across the country to start building. The wall was divided into 97 sections, each named in the order of the Thousand Character Classic, and the stretch linking Bugaksan, Naksan, Namsan and Inwangsan was finished in 98 days; all the gates followed that autumn. In 1422, under King Sejong, more than 320,000 people rebuilt every earthen section in stone in 38 days. It was winter work and many were injured or ran away; the state set up four clinics for the workers, but a runaway who was caught received 100 strokes of the rod, and a second offence was punishable by death. Further rebuilding under kings Sukjong and Sunjo means the way the stones are cut changes from period to period.

From 1907 stretches beside Sungnyemun and Heunginjimun were pulled down to make way for tram lines, and most of the lowland sections disappeared during the Japanese colonial period and the Korean War. Restoration began in 1975 with the gate tower of Gwanghuimun, and by 2013 about 70% of the wall survived or had been restored.

What to see

• Baegak section (Changuimun to Hyehwamun, 4.7 km, about 3 hours): it crosses Baegak (342 m), the highest point of the wall. Closed to the public for almost 40 years after a North Korean commando raid in January 1968, it reopened in 2007. The route passes Baegakmaru, the "1·21 Incident Pine", Cheongundae and Candle Rock before descending to Sukjeongmun. With many steps, it is the hardest section.
• Naksan section (Hyehwamun to Heunginjimun and Gwanghuimun, 3.2 km, about 1.5 hours): Naksan (124 m), the lowest of the four inner mountains, was also called Camel Mountain for its humped shape; its gentle slopes make it the best first walk. You can walk along the outside of the wall, and behind the Catholic University campus you can compare stones laid under Sejong, Sukjong and Sunjo. Naksan Park is known for its sunset and night views.
• Namsan section (Jangchung Gymnasium to Baekbeom Square): about 6.7 km and 3.5 hours past the National Theater, N Seoul Tower, the old beacon site, the Jamdubong photo island and the Ahn Jung-geun Memorial Hall, with views over southern Seoul beyond the wall.
• Inwangsan section (Donuimun site to Changuimun, 4 km, about 2.5 hours): up and down a rocky mountain, past Tiger Rock and the summit, then down via the Yun Dong-ju Poet's Hill to Changuimun.
• Lost city-centre sections: where the wall has disappeared, the Heunginjimun section (Heunginjimun to Jangchung Gymnasium) and the Sungnyemun section (Baekbeom Square to the Donuimun site) follow the line of the old wall through the city past Dongdaemun History & Culture Park, Gwanghuimun, Sungnyemun and Jeong-dong, which is why the official guide divides the circuit into six sections.
• Gates: four main gates (Sukjeongmun, Heunginjimun, Sungnyemun and Donuimun) and four smaller ones (Changuimun, Hyehwamun, Gwanghuimun and Soeuimun); Donuimun and Soeuimun no longer exist.

Good to know

Here and there you will find stones with carved inscriptions: names of the people responsible for each section, recorded to make them accountable for the work, and you can spot them as you walk. Look at the shape of the stones too: Taejo's builders used roughly dressed natural stones, large at the bottom and smaller towards the top; Sejong's are more rectangular; and under Sukjong and Sunjo the stones were cut into neat rectangular blocks. The wall was placed on UNESCO's World Heritage Tentative List in 2012, but the first attempt at inscription failed in 2017. Jangsu Village below Naksan Park began as a shanty town after the Korean War; instead of redevelopment, residents chose to repair their houses and alleys themselves.

Tripto tips

• Access: the trail is open 24 hours a day, all year. On the Baegak section, recommended walking hours are 09:00–17:00 in winter (November to February), 07:00–18:00 in spring and autumn, and 07:00–19:00 in summer (May to August).
• Starting points: for Baegak, take bus 7212, 1020 or 7022 from Gyeongbokgung Station exit 3 to the "Jahamun Pass · Yun Dong-ju Poet's Hill" stop and start at Changuimun. For Naksan, it is 3 minutes from Hansung University Station exit 4, or 2 minutes from Dongdaemun Station exit 10 to Dongdaemun Fortress Park.
• Be prepared: on the Baegak and Inwangsan sections there are no toilets and no convenience stores for about two hours after you set off. Bring water, snacks and good shoes.
• Weather: in July 2024 about 30 m of wall near the Baegak rest area collapsed during the monsoon rains. After heavy rain, check for closed sections.
• Etiquette: do not climb on or write on the wall, and pass quietly through residential areas such as Jangsu Village and Ihwa Village.
• Guided walks: free guided tours are available with advance booking. Visiting the Hyehwa-dong exhibition and information centre, housed in the former residence of the mayor of Seoul, or the Seoul City Wall Museum next to Heunginjimun first gives you the big picture.
• Time needed: each section takes 1.5 to 3.5 hours. If it is your first time, start with Naksan.