Outer Wall of Ganghwa Fortress

Basic information

Designation

Historic Site No.452

Category

Sites & Pagodas

Era

1233년

Designated year

2003

Location

강화군, 인천광역시— 인천 강화군 선원면 선원면, 불은면, 길상면 일원(강화도 동해안 일대)

Coordinates

37.699873, 126.520344

The outer wall of Ganghwa Fortress in Ganghwa was built in 1233 (20th year of the reign of King Gojong) during the Goryeo Dynasty to protect the coast after the capital had been moved to Ganghwado Island because of the Mongolian invasions in 1232. The fortress stretches over 23km from the Jeokbuk Fortification to Chojijin Fort. Ganghwa Fortress consists of an outer wall, an inner wall, and a middle wall. The inner wall, which spans approximately 1,200m, is what is now known as Ganghwaeupseong Walled Town. The outer walls were built along the east coast line, serving as the most important defense facility in preventing the Mongolians from crossing the sea to invade Goryeo. According to Goryeosa (History of the Goryeo Dynasty), the outer wall of Ganghwa Fortress was built in 1237 (24th year of Gojong). In the following Joseon Dynasty, too, it was used as refuge in times of emergency and was repaired in 1618 (10th year of the reign of King Gwanghaegun). Later, during the time of King Sukjong, the stones of the fortress, which had collapsed in the Manchu Invasion of Korea in 1636, were used to rebuild the walls and to construct fortifications as well. During the time of King Yeongjo, Gangwha local governor Kim Si-hyeok, with the permission of the state, rebuilt the walls in 1743 (19th year of Yeongjo) because soil from the fortress slid down every time it rained. The surface survey carried out in 2001 by the Dongyang Archaeology Institute in the section around the Odu Fortification showed that the walls were made of base stones on the ground, large stones in the middle, and then more base stones, with stone bricks on top. The walls are 20 cheok (approx. 6m) high and 5 cheok (approx. 1.5m) wide, encompassing 6 major gates (Johaeru, Bokparu, Jinhaeru, Chamgyeongnu, Gongjoru, and Anhaeru), 6 hidden gates, and 17 sluice gates. The outer wall of Ganghwa Fortress is an important material for the study of the structure of city fortresses and their method of construction from the late Goryeo Period to the late 17th century. In particular, because part of the wall around the Odu Fortification (southern side), which is made of stone bricks, remains, it is – along with Hwaseong Fortress in Suwon (Historic Site No. 3) -- an important relic in the study of fortress construction.

Location