Outer Wall of Ganghwa Fortress

The Outer Wall of Ganghwa Fortress was built for coastal defence over a distance of 23km from Jeokbukdondae to Chojijin, in 1233, the twentieth year of the reign of King Gojong, the twenty-third king of Goryeo, after the capital was moved to Ganghwado Island in 1232 because of the Mongol invasion. Ganghwa Fortress consists of an inner wall, a middle wall and an outer wall; the inner wall, about 1,200m in circumference, is today's Ganghwasanseong Fortress. The outer wall was built along the eastern coast and was the most important defensive facility preventing the Mongol army from crossing the sea to attack. According to the Goryeosa, the History of Goryeo, the Outer Wall of Ganghwa was built in 1237, the twenty-fourth year of King Gojong of Goryeo. Later, during the Joseon period, it continued in use as the outer wall of a capital city serving as a refuge for the king in emergencies, and was repaired in 1618, the tenth year of King Gwanghaegun's reign. Then, during the reign of King Sukjong, the outer wall, which had been destroyed during the Manchu invasion of 1636, was rebuilt in stone, and coastal watch platforms were installed. Then, in the reign of King Yeongjo, Kim Si-hyeok, the resident commissioner of Ganghwa, reported to the court that the earth of the wall washed away whenever it rained, and the wall was rebuilt in brick between 1743, the nineteenth year of King Yeongjo, and the following year. A surface survey of the brick-built section around Odudon, conducted in 2001 by the Institute of Oriental Archaeology, found that coping stones were laid on a foundation of tidal-flat mud, large stones were then used to form the core of the stone wall, further coping stones were laid on top, and several courses of brick were stacked above these. The wall is said to have stood 20 cheok high and 5 cheok wide, with six gate towers named Johaeru, Bokparu, Jinhaeru, Chamgyeongnu, Gongjoru and Anhaeru, six hidden gates, and seventeen water gates. The Outer Wall of Ganghwa is regarded as an important site for the study of the structure and construction techniques of capital-city walls from the late Goryeo period to the late seventeenth century. In particular, since a section rebuilt in brick survives around Odudon, to the south, this fortress, together with Suwon Hwaseong Fortress, a historic site, provides valuable material for the study of brick-built fortifications.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Ganghwa, Incheon

Designation

Historic Site · 사적