The 10 Best Ancient Ruins in South Korea, South Korea

Reviewed By letsexplorenow

Did you know that Seoul is surrounded by a wall for over 600 years? Thanks to Funday Korea Networks I got to know about the background of the Wall. The Seoul City Wall goes by the name of Hanyangdoseong and was built for defensive purposes. Today it is the longest wall of its kind in the world and is under state protection as Historic Site No. 10. If these facts are not enough to motivate you for a visit, then here are five more reasons why it is a must for everyone who comes to Seoul. 1. Historical significance: The Seoul City Wall was built in 1396, four years after King Taejo established the Joseon Dynast and moved the capital to Hanyang (modern-day Seoul). The fortress wall witnessed a number of rulers, the Japanese occupation and the Korean War, which makes the 600-year old city wall a major historical monument. The Seoul City Wall Museum provides great and detailed information of the Hanyangdoseong for everyone who wants to know it all. 2. Special architecture: The wall, just as the whole city, was planed in consideration of the natural topography, Confucian principles, and various political, economic, and military factors. It is built along the ridges of four mountains (Baekgaksan, Naksan, Mongmyeosan, Inwangsan) and has four main gates, which represent the four virtues of Confucianism, and four ancillary gates. Interestingly, the structure of the wall is not uniform, as the wall was repaired over the centuries. By seeing the stone shape, you can easily determine in which period the section was built. You can also look out for one of the 297 stones with inscriptions, which contain names of workers and dates of the repair. 3. Witness history: Besides the unique architecture that shows you different periods at once, you can witness modern history by visiting the Seoul City Wall. The Baegak Mountain trail is the perfect example for that. Public access to this area was omitted for about 40 years, after the “Blue House Raid”, where North Korean commandos tried to assassinate the South Korean president Park Chung-hee in 1968. The mountain is not only the highest within Hanyangdoseong, it also bears a 200-year old pine tree, which has fifteen bullets from the battle between South Korean police and the North Korean Special Forces. After presenting your ID you can visit this historic place. 4. Hiking spot: As the Hanyangdoseong leads through the mountains, it is a wonderful opportunity to enjoy nature and a beautiful view of Seoul. There are different courses that that differ in difficulty and duration, so one can find the perfect trail for oneself. With a length of 18.627 kilometers, a complete tour of the wall would take about 10 hours. The track I participated in, started at the Seoul City Wall Museum near Dongdaemun station, covered the Naksan Mountain and ended in Hyehwa. While you can enjoy a breathtaking scenery of Seoul on your way, you will also discover a lot of unique spots like the artistic Iwha Mural Village, the Myogaksa Temple and Naksan Park. 5. Discover Seoul from anywhere: Because the wall embraces the old city center of Seoul, you can start or end your journey at any gate and you will be able to visit touristic places nearby. Donuimun Gate in the West for example is really close to Gyeonghuigung Palace and the Seoul Museum of History while the Sungnyemun Gate is close to Namdeamun Market, which is a historic marketplace and remained popular until today. I would highly recommend a visit to Hanyangdoseong, as it is right next to all the popular attractions. It does not matter which trail you choose, because you will be able to see Korean architecture through time, enjoy nature and discover various places near the City Wall.