Hongjueupseong Walled Town, Hongseong

Basic information

Designation

Historic Site No.231

Category

Sites & Pagodas

Era

삼국시대

Designated year

1972

Location

홍성군, 충청남도— 충남 홍성군 홍성읍 오관리 200-2번지

Coordinates

36.600626, 126.661640

Originally, the length of this stone wall was almost 1,772 meters, but nowadays only about 800 metres remain. There are insufficient records telling when the earliest construction period was, but a note in Sejongsillok jiriji (Geography of the Annals of King Sejong) tells two facts, one is the circumference, and the other, that there was a spring inside the fortress that never dried through all four seasons. It is said to have been built first in the reign of King Sejong the Great of the Joseon Dynasty as part of his national defense policy. Fortress construction using advanced building technologies protected villages against attack from Waegu, the Japanese raiders. This wall was repaired and reconstructed in 1451, the 1st year of the reign of King Munjong, the 5th King of Joseon. It was said that at that time to be about 1.5km in circumference and 3.3m in height with four gates, various defense facilities and two wells. The remaining eastern gate called Joyangmun was restored to its original condition in 1975. One of the gates, Amun, was built at the time of construction of the upper story of Joyangmun Gate, and the letters "Hongjuamun" were carved on a signboard, in calligraphy by Heungseon Daewongun but it does not remain now. This is the largest among Amun, traditional entrance gates into public building and has a unique form. Furthermore it is regarded as important evidence in researching structures and layouts of public buildings in the Joseon Dynasty.

Location