Hongjimun and Tangchundaeseong

About this place

Tangchundaeseong is a defensive fortress of unique structure that illustrates the capital-defense system of the late Joseon period; it was built to link the Hanyang city wall with Bukhansanseong Fortress. Suited to the terrain of the blind spot between the city wall and Bukhansanseong, it connected the two fortresses with a wall and thus had the character of a kind of gateway fortress (gwanmunseong). The wall runs about 4 km around; inside it a military training ground, Yeonyungdae (鍊戎臺), was built, along with grain storehouses and other facilities. The wall was neatly built of evenly sized square stones, well showing the wall-building techniques of King Sukjong's time. At Hongjimun, a gate pavilion three kan across the front and two kan deep was built atop an arch (hongye); like most fortress gates, it has a hip roof (ujin-gak). The water gate (sumun) adjoining it, Ogansu-daemun, was formed by turning five arches used as water outlets (sugu). The fortress's name derives from the fact that in the time of Yeonsangun a pavilion called Tangchundae (now Segeomjeong Elementary School) was built on the peak east of Segeomjeong and banquets were held there; Hongjimun was also called Hanbungmun. Hongjimun and Ogansu-daemun collapsed in a flood in 1921 but were rebuilt in 1977 together with Tangchundaeseong.