Hwasun Cheorongsanseong Fortress

Cheorongsanseong Fortress is a pogoksik (valley-enclosing) mountain fortress that makes maximum use of the natural terrain of Ongseongsan Mountain, which rises to 572.9m above sea level. The fortress wall is about 5,400m long and lies at elevations of 275–550m; it was built using both the hyeopchuk technique, in which both the inner and outer faces of the wall were finished with stone, and the pyeonchuk technique, in which only the outer face was finished. The eastern wall makes use of the ridge line and rock faces, and is best preserved in front of the building site to the northeast and at the site of the east gate; the rest of this section uses two rock peaks to form the wall. The southern wall follows the ridge and cliffs and was built almost vertically with worked natural stones in nine to ten courses. East of the south gate site a huge rock peak forms a natural wall, while west of the gate the ridge slope was cut back and faced using the pyeonchuk or hyeopchuk technique, so that the wall winds along the contours of the ridge. The western wall follows the very steep natural terrain running north–south from the summit of Ongseongsan Mountain; since this area consists of cliffs, no special wall structures were needed. The northern wall was built by steeply cutting the ridge slope running east from the flat summit of Yeseongsan Mountain and facing it with ten to fifteen courses of stone; it is about 3m high and relatively narrow. Descending east from Ongseongsan Mountain, the wall continues in the pyeonchuk technique to a narrow saddle, then climbs east again in the hyeopchuk technique; at the saddle, which commands a clear view in all directions, the remains of a structure thought to be a watchtower survive. Along the small valley between the north-eastern rock peaks, on the path leading up into the fortress, a wall blocks the valley — the primary defensive structure closing this approach. Inside the fortress are the sites of the east and south gates, three building sites and a well; fragments of grey-blue hard-fired roof tiles and pottery have been found around the building sites. Cheorongsanseong Fortress stands at Dokjae, a strategic point marking the boundary between the north-eastern and northern districts, and is a typical mountain fortress whose terrain allowed defenders to enter quickly in an emergency and carry out tactics such as defence or counterattack. Its interior, which includes a valley with an abundant water supply, offers ample space for activity while remaining hidden from outside view, so that in an emergency a considerable number of soldiers and civilians could hold out there under siege. Extending more than 5,000m, this is a large-scale mountain fortress; although parts of the wall have collapsed, it survives in relatively good condition and is of great historical and academic value.

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Where it is

Region

Hwasun, Jeonnam & Gwangju

Designation

Provincial Monument · 시도기념물