Suwon Hwaseong Fortress

Hwaseong is the best day trip from Seoul for history lovers, and one of the most satisfying walks in Korea. The fortress was built between 1794 and 1796 by King Jeongjo, one of the most admired Joseon rulers, who moved the tomb of his father, the tragic Crown Prince Sado, to Suwon and planned a new walled city around it as an act of filial devotion and as a modern, economically vibrant second capital. The design brought together Korean, Chinese and Western ideas, and its construction made use of new techniques, including lifting devices associated with the scholar Jeong Yak-yong; detailed records of the project survived, which made faithful restoration possible after war damage in the twentieth century. In 1997 it was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The walls run for about 5.7 kilometers in a loop around the old city center, climbing over Paldalsan hill on the west and dropping through the valley on the east, and nearly the whole circuit can be walked on or beside the ramparts. Along the way you pass four great gates, including the grand Paldalmun in the south and Janganmun in the north, along with watchtowers, bastions, sentry posts, a beacon tower and command posts. The most beautiful spot is Banghwasuryujeong, an elegant pavilion perched on the wall above a small lotus pond, especially lovely at sunset. At the foot of Paldalsan stands Hwaseong Haenggung, the temporary palace where the king stayed on his visits, carefully reconstructed with its halls and courtyards, where traditional performances and martial-arts demonstrations are staged.

The fortress walls are open at all hours and free to walk, while the Haenggung palace charges a small fee and keeps regular daytime hours. A full circuit of the walls takes about two to three hours at a steady pace, with a stiff climb at the start if you begin on Paldalsan. Most visitors start near the Haenggung, climb to the summit pavilion on Paldalsan for the view, then follow the walls clockwise past Hwaseomun and Janganmun to Banghwasuryujeong and the eastern command post. The Hwaseong trolley, a dragon-headed road train, links key points if you want to save your legs, and at the Yeonmudae area you can try traditional Korean archery. Signage in English is good, and the Suwon Hwaseong Museum near the palace explains the construction.

The Suwon Hwaseong Cultural Festival each autumn re-enacts the king's royal procession with hundreds of costumed participants, and the walls are floodlit at night, making an evening walk around the northern section a memorable end to the day. The old town inside the walls has been revitalized with cafes, craft shops and restaurants along Haenggung-dong's lanes, and Suwon is famous across Korea for its marinated beef galbi and its fried chicken street near the market, so plan to eat here.

Suwon is about an hour from central Seoul by subway: take Line 1 or the Suin-Bundang Line to Suwon Station, then a short bus or taxi to the fortress. Express buses and some tour packages also combine Hwaseong with the Korean Folk Village in nearby Yongin. Wear comfortable shoes, carry water in summer, and allow a full day if you want to walk the whole circuit, see the palace and eat well.