The capital of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), Hanyang (present-day Seoul), was protected by fortress walls whose construction was begun just after King Taejo (r. 1392-1398), the founder of the dynasty, completed the royal palace (Gyeongbokgung) and the royal ancestral shrine (Jongmyo). The construction of the walls and other related defensive facilities was supervised by a special government agency established in 1395, four years after the founder of the Joseon Dynasty acceded to the throne.
Hanyang City Wall had four main gates, Heunginjimun in the east, Donuimun in the west, Sungnyemun in the south and Sukjeongmun in the north, and four auxiliary gates, Honghwamun in the northeast, Gwanghuimun in the southeast, Changuimun in the northwest, and Sodeongmun in the southwest. The East Gate (Heunginjimun) had an extra defensive structure known as a barbican, whereas the North Gate (Sukjeongmun, or Sukcheongmun) lacked a tall gatehouse but had a postern called a “hidden entrance” (Ammun).
In 1422, King Sejong (r. 1418-1450) ordered large-scale repairs of the fortress walls, resulting in the replacement of all the earthen wall sections by stone walls and the renovation of all the offensive and defensive facilities. This was followed by another major renovation project conducted in 1704 at the order of King Sukjong (1674-1720). The renovation work involved the “modern” technique of piling up neatly hewn square stones to give the walls vertical faces. These and other renovations conducted in different periods each left distinctive marks on the walls due to the use of different techniques and stones of different shapes. The fortress suffered severe disruption during the early 20th century due to the implementation of an ill-conceived urban plan by the Japanese colonial rulers. Further disruptions followed in the wake of the turmoil caused by the Liberation in 1945 and the Korean War (1950-53).
Today, the original features of the fortress can be seen in the walls remaining in Samcheong-dong and Jangchung-dong, and in certain gatehouses such as Heunginjimun. Hanyang City Wall in Seoul is regarded as a tangible example of the patriotism of the Korean people in the Joseon Period and as a valuable part of Korea’s historic heritage, providing a wealth of information on wall-building techniques and other architectural elements developed in the period.
One of the four auxiliary gates of Hanyang City Wall, Gwanghuimun, was built in 1396, and has been known by other names such as Sugumun (“Water Gate”) and Namsomun (“Small South Gate”). It underwent major renovation work between 1711 and 1719, with its new name plaque hung in that year. The gate lost its pavilion-style structure and part of the battlement on the western wall during the Korean War, but these features were restored in 1976. The current gatehouse was moved slightly south of the original site due to the building of a new road.
This earthen fortification near the Hangang River was built during the early days of Baekje (18 B.C. - 660). The fortress wall was originally 4 km long, but about half of the wall was washed away in a flood in 1925, leaving a section of only 2.7 km. The fortress was built in an oval shape, and there is evidence that there were four gates on the east side. The wall, now covered with weeds, was built by pounding layers of sandy earth.
Many artifacts were excavated from the site, including items of undecorated plain pottery, Silla-style earthenware, fishnet sinkers, spindle whorls and ceramic tile shards, which suggest that the area was inhabited even before the foundation of Baekje.
Opinions vary on the nature of the fortress, with some scholars believing that it was part of the walled city of Wiryeseong, the capital of Baekje in its earliest stage, and others insisting that it is just an ordinary fortress built for defense purposes. Many specialists consider the site to be related in some way to other Baekje remains in Seoul such as Mongchontoseong Fortress and the Seokchon-dong Tomb Complex.