Castle
Hopping In Korea
The Beauty Of Korea
~ by Brandon Walcutt
|
|
...
| May
2005
Standing atop
the fortified castle wall, I look down at the mist shrouded shapes of pine
trees crowding the mountain slopes. I can easily imagine troops of armored
soldiers marching their way up the steep trails towards the high stone
walls.
This is not
an image of Europe that we are describing, but one of South Korea. Korea
is more than just the home of kimchi, the DMZ and red-shirted soccer enthusiasts.
Korea has a rich, five thousand year history that is still easily accessible
to travelers. One of the favorite things many visitors enjoy experiencing
are the castles that dot the Korean countryside. Although most castles
lie in ruins these days, there are many fine examples, several of which
can be found within a short distance of Seoul, the capital city and primary
entry point to the Korean peninsula.
With a history
of over 900 invasions, it is small wonder that the Korean people turned
to building forts and castles to protect its people in times of trouble.
The first fortifications are said to have been built in approximately 2nd
century BC and were rude affairs of mud and timber. Later, castles gained
more sophistication and evolved as new building technology and weaponry
became available. |
|
..
Korean castles
have a different style than their European counterparts. Most castles in
Korea were built simply as high stone walls, without the multi-storied
towers as seen in European examples. Another distinctly Korean modification
are the circular-shaped entry passages to primary gates. Although Korea’s
castles don’t necessarily have the vertical impressiveness European structures
may enjoy, they make up for this in sheer size and for many, the natural
beauty of their mountain top locations.
For any interested
traveler heading to Seoul, there are 3 sites you should not miss. The first
site is called Namhansanseong or the Namhan Mountain Fortress and is located
just outside of Seoul. This site has been of major military importance
since early times. Originally built as an earthen fortress about 2,000
years ago, Namhan Fortress was rebuilt many times before the current fortress
was built in 1624. That latest rebuilding was prompted by the threat and
eventual invasion by the Manchu army. From this fortress, King Injo and
a few thousand soldiers and Buddhist warrior monks held off an invading
force of 130,000 men for 45 days during the Manchu invasion of 1636. Part
of the fortress was later burned by invading Japanese forces in 1907. In
addition, pockmarks from Korean War bullet holes can also be found in the
fortress walls. More information about Namhansanseoung can be found at
http://www.namhansansung.or.kr/main_eng.htm.
Another site
well worth visiting is the Hwaseong Castle in Suwon. Suwon is just south
of Seoul and, like Namhansanseong, is accessible via the Seoul Metropolitan
Subway system. Hwaseong is considered to be one of the best preserved castles
in Korea and was declared a UNESCO World Cultural site in 1998. Hwaseong
was finished during the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) in 1796. The fortress
wall stretches for 5.74km and was built with both stone and brick. The
castle was built to accommodate not only traditional weapons, i.e. arrows
and spears, but also guns and cannon. Hwaseong has also seen much chaos
and war which culminated in much of the fortress being burnt during the
Japanese invasion in the early 1900s and partial destruction during the
Korean War. Most of the fortress has since been renovated. More information
on Hwaseong can be found at http://whc.unesco.org/pg.cfm?cid=31&id_site=817
The last castle
can be found within Seoul itself. In 1394, King Taejo of the Joseon dynasty
moved his kingdom’s capital to Seoul. In the same year, he began a massive
construction project involving two to three hundred thousand workers who
built a wall around the new capital. Over the years, the walls changed
and evolved. A series of striking gates were constructed to allow entry
to the city. Although most of the city walls were destroyed during the
Japanese Colonial Period, several of the gates still remain. In the heart
of Seoul’s downtown shopping district, the massive Dongdaemun (or East)
gate still remains. As can be seen in the other Korean castles, Dongdaemun
has the semicircle wall that was used to entrap enemies who tried to force
open the gate. Reaching above the gate is the imposing, but colorful gate
structure. More information on Dongdaemun Gate can be found at http://english.seoul.go.kr/today/about/about_02top.htm.
Korea has a
lot more than just castles to offer visitors, but for many people, castles
embody much of Korea’s proud and turbulent history. Visit and let your
imagination take you back to the days of yore.
.
| Brandon
Walcutt is a university professor, history buff and budding travel
writer based in Seoul, Korea. To contact Brandon Click
Here |
.
.
.
|
