Gapgotdon Outpost, Ganghwa

Basic information

Designation

Historic Site No.306

Category

Sites & Pagodas

Era

조선시대

Designated year

1984

Location

강화군, 인천광역시— 인천 강화군 강화읍 갑곳리 1020번지 외

Coordinates

37.733140, 126.516568

Dondae is a place where a small-sized fort was constructed to place a gun and a battery with eight guns. As the fortress during the period 1232 - 1270 when the capital of Goryeo was moved to Ganghwado Island during the war with Mongolia, Gapgotdon was an important fortress for guarding the Gangwha Strait. The name Gapgot has been handed down till now, originating with “Gapbigocha” as the name of Ganghwa during the Three Kingdoms Period or from the story of how, when the Mongolian forces failed to cross this, they sighed and said that they could cross this sea just by filling a sea with so many armors. When the army post was installed in every place of strategic importance in 1644, it became the Donde subject to Jemuljin Fort and completed in 1679. About 600 members of France’s East Fleet landed here in Sept. 1866 during the 3rd year of the reign of King Gojong and occupied Ganghwaseong Fortress and Munsusanseong Fortress, etc. Nonetheless, the French forces were defeated by the unit under the control of General Yang Hoen-su at Jeongjoksanseong Fortress in October and were forced to flee. The new structure was built on the old site through repairs done in 1977. The gun currently displayed within Dondae corresponds to the age of Joseon; it was used to bombard the Japanese warship that invaded the country via sea.

Location