Goraksanseong Fortress, Yeosu

Goraksanseong Fortress stands on Goraksan Mountain, 335m above sea level. The main fortress, on the lower peak, is far larger than the auxiliary fortress on the higher peak, both in the scale of its walls and its internal area, and its construction technique is also more refined. The main fortress encircles the eastern peak of Goraksan Mountain; in plan it forms a long oval running northwest to southeast, wider in the northwest and narrower in the southeast. The wall has a total circumference of about 354m, and the western section is well preserved: the outer face is about 280cm high, the inner face about 230cm high, and the wall itself is about 510-530cm thick. Except on the east, the wall is mostly curved, while the eastern wall is close to straight. Within the fortress, two gate sites and one well site have been found. The auxiliary fortress sits on the peak at 335m above sea level and is round in plan, with a slight projection to the south. Built respectively on the summit of Goraksan Mountain and on a slightly lower peak, the two fortresses appear to have been constructed around the same time and are presumed to have played complementary roles. Pottery and roof-tile fragments believed to date from the Baekje period have been found around the fortress. Goraksanseong Fortress has yielded many Baekje-period artefacts, and the technique used to enclose the summit suggests it was built during Baekje. It demonstrates the historical importance of ancient culture on the Yeosu peninsula and holds significant value for the study of Korean mountain fortresses.

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Where it is

Region

Yeosu, Jeonnam & Gwangju

Designation

Provincial Monument · 시도기념물