Military Headquarters of Jeolla-do Province, Gangjin

Basic information

Designation

Historic Site No.397

Category

Sites & Pagodas

Designated year

1997

Location

강진군, 전라남도— 전남 강진군 병영면 병영성로 175, 외 (성동리)

Coordinates

34.720387, 126.816090

This is the place where the military base commanding the forces of the entire southeast region of Joseon was located during the first and second great Japanese invasions of Joseon. The lower part of the 1060m high fortress built in 1417, the 17th year of the reign of King Taejong of the Joseon Dynasty, still remains. Among the facilities of the fortress, only the remains of the 3 main gates, 7 barbicans built to protect the main gate of the fortress, and other buildings have been preserved together with the 25 tombstones placed in the local administrative office building. Inside the fortress wall is Byeongyeong Elementary School with its official house including another privately owned house surrounded by the farming field. This is the best-preserved military base site among all the military base sites around the southern shore region. It is also the very military base where Hamel, author of the Record on the Drift of Hamel, along with 32 other foreign drifters, had stayed from 1656, the 7th year of the reign of King Hyojong, to 1663, the 4th year of the reign of King Hyeonjong of the Joseon Dynasty. The Record on the Drift of Hamel first reported the politics, culture, and customs of Korea to the Western world.

Location