Ansaneupseong Walled Town and Government Office Site

This is a walled town (eupseong) and its government office site, used from the late Goryeo period through the Joseon period. It is a typical flat-and-mountain fortress (pyeongsanseong), a construction method combining that of a plain fortress and a mountain fortress, built along the ridge linking open ground and hill. The surrounding terrain is formed by the ridge between the valleys of Sogeumjeolgol and Jageungol, which descend westward from Suamsan; this ridge encloses the walled town, with the government office site situated to the south. The Ansan government office was originally located in the area of present-day Mongnae-dong. It was moved to Suam-dong in the 23rd year of King Sejong (1441), and then, in the 10th year of King Hyeonjong (1669), relocated about 50 m south-east of that site to its present location. It was built to guard against Japanese pirates invading along the coast, and in peacetime it carried out administrative functions. The fortress is rectangular in plan with rounded corners. The west and north sides, considered the main defensive fronts, made use of the natural terrain as it was, and the walls were built by adding stonework onto the natural ridge, faced on one side only. Excavated remains consist mainly of roof tiles and ceramics. In particular, roof tiles bearing the incised inscriptions '康熙年…' and '…正…酉…' can be dated, on the evidence of tiles inscribed with the Kangxi reign name (1662–1772), to the same period, the 17th–18th century. The main gate, Pyeonggeullu, and administrative buildings such as the Guest House and the dongheon (the magistrate's main hall), along with a jail and storehouses, once stood here, but all have been destroyed, leaving only foundation stones, long dressed stones and tile fragments scattered about the site. The government office site was used as the Suam township office during the Japanese colonial period, after which only the site remained; the Guest House building was restored in 2010.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Ansan, Gyeonggi

Designation

Provincial Monument · 시도기념물