Gwandeokjeong Archery Center, Gwangju

The building under application, Gwandeokjeong, Gwangju, was completed on 2 July 1961 and has served as the centre of Gwangju's traditional archery ground (hwalteo), a venue for gukgung, the Korean traditional art of archery. An archery ground (sajang) that had existed since the 15th century was relocated several times — to the centre of Gwangju, to the riverside, to Gwangju Park and elsewhere — before being moved and rebuilt on the hillside of what is now Sajik Park. Through the arrangement of Kwon Seung-gwan, chairman of Hwacheon Gigong, among others, building permission and support were obtained from South Jeolla Province and Gwangju City, and Chairman Kwon himself donated 1.2 million won, leading to the construction of Gwandeokjeong. The building was designed by Kim Tae-man and built by Choi Sang-ok of Namhwa Construction. Gwandeokjeong is a south-facing building overlooking Sajik Park, with its archery range running lengthwise from north to south. Its structure is of reinforced concrete, a feature not seen in other archery grounds of the early 1960s. A distinctive feature is the curved form created by raising the front eaves; the rafters at the eaves are rendered in reinforced concrete, and the space beneath the eaves forms the sadae, the archer's shooting platform. Since its completion, national competitions and national sports festivals have been held in Gwangju Metropolitan City on three occasions, with the related archery events taking place at Gwandeokjeong; in preparation for these events, repairs were carried out, including extensions to the left, right and rear sides and the replacement of windows and doors. The building as a whole retains its original form. The building was managed by the South Jeolla Archery Association before being donated to Gwangju City in 1984; Gwangju Metropolitan City has since entrusted its management to the Gwangju Metropolitan City Sports Council, which also runs the programmes at Gwandeokjeong.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Nam-gu, Jeonnam & Gwangju

Designation

Registered Cultural Heritage · 국가등록문화유산