Ganghwasanseong Fortress was originally a mountain wall made of earth, built during Goryeo King Go-Jong’s 19th year of reign (1232), after he moved to Ganghwa-do. It was built to repel attacks from the Mongols. The inner castle was destroyed when the capital was moved to another place, and at the beginning of the Joseon era (1392-1910) the wall was again rebuilt with mud. It went through much restoration until finally being rebuilt with stones in the Joseon era.
Ganghwasanseong Fortress originally had an interior and exterior walls, but only the interior wall exists today. It has an approximate circumference of 1.2km. The exterior mud wall was approximately 9km in circumference with 8 gates. The huge exterior wall was built along the side of the east channel of Ganghwa, but no longer exists today. Until 1977, the interior wall was rebuilt many times over, but the east side of this wall has yet to be reconstructed.
There were four main gates to the wall. To the south, Anparu, to the east, Cheomhwaru, to the west, Manghanru, and to the north, Jinsongru, but today, the east gate no longer exists. At the west gate, the historic Yeonmudang still remains. This area was where the soldiers used to train, and was also the place where Korea-Japan Treaty of Peace and Amity was signed in 1876. With its beautiful scenery, Ganghwasanseong Fortress is an ideal place for a brisk walk or refreshing drive.
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