Daemosanseong Fortress, Yangju

Basic information

Designation

Historic Site No.526

Category

Sites & Pagodas

Designated year

2013

Location

양주시, 경기도— 경기도 양주시 백석읍 방성리 789

Coordinates

37.786953, 127.010438

Daemosanseong, presumed by some to be the same fortress as Maechoseong, appearing in Samguk sagi (History of the Three Kingdoms) and Sejong Sillok (Annals of King Sejong), is mentioned in quite a few historical records, including Sinjeung dongguk yeoji seungnam (Augmented Survey of the Geography of Korea), Mangi yoram (Essentials of Governance), Gyeonggiji (Chorography of Gyeonggi Province), Yeojueupji (Chorography of Yeoju County), Yeodojiji (Map of Korea), and Daedongjiji (Geography of Korea). Daemosanseong is located at the junction linking the Imjingang River with the Hanggang river valley. Being the only fortress in the environs located near a major transportation route, it appears to have had a dual purpose as a defense structure and the seat for the local administration of the Yangju area. The fortress was built with metamorphic rocks of an igneous type, hewn into a rectangular shape. The walls stand about 7.5m tall and are fronted with reinforcement works that have a triangular cross-section and rise to 4-5m in height. The fortress has a suspended gate and is accessed with the help of a ladder. This fortress, something of a gem of engineering, with mostly intact walls offers valuable glimpses into fortress construction techniques used in 6th-7th century Korea. Meanwhile, seven successive archaeological investigations, conducted here between 1980 and 1998, resulted in the discovery of six hundred thirty-five metal artifacts. The presence of such items as bronze bracelets and seals among these artifacts, which only the highest ranked-officials could own, speaks volumes about the prestige this fortress must have once enjoyed. Further, the various farming implements and tools found here suggest that the area under the jurisdiction of Daemosanseong had high agricultural and industrial productivity, and that produce and products from the environs were brought to and gathered in this fortress, which appears to have also served as a center of logistics.

Location