Hwado Island Battery, Ganghwa

A dondae (rendered here as 'battery') is a small-scale observation and defence post built along the coast or in a border region. Soldiers stationed inside stood watch, looking out for enemy reconnaissance and other suspicious activity and responding to it, and when the enemy invaded they mounted their defence with the weapons kept inside the battery. The first 48 such batteries were completed in May 1679, the fifth year of King Sukjong, and five more were added afterwards. These 48 batteries were built in around 80 days by 8,900 monk soldiers drawn from Hwanghae-do, Gangwon-do and Hamgyeong-do provinces, together with 4,262 soldiers of the Eoyeongcheong (Royal Guards Command). The construction was planned and supervised by Kim Seok-ju, the Minister of War, while overall practical administration was handled by Yun I-je, the Yusu (chief magistrate) of Ganghwa. Hwado Battery is one of the 48 batteries built in 1679, and together with Odu Battery and Gwangseong Battery it belonged to Gwangseongbo. It originally belonged to Hwado-bo garrison, but when Hwado-bo was abolished in 1710, the thirty-sixth year of King Sukjong, it came under the command of Gwangseongbo. It is square in plan, with a perimeter of 129 metres.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Ganghwa, Incheon

Designation

Cultural Heritage Material · 문화유산자료