Seoul Yangcheon Goseongji

About this place

Yangcheon Goseongji (Old Fortress Site) is a mountaintop fortress (temoe-style) built to enclose the main ridge and the upper part of a branch ridge at the summit of Mount Gungsan in Gayang-dong, Gangseo-gu, Seoul. Mount Gungsan lies at the confluence of the Anyangcheon Stream and the Han River, making it an important strategic stronghold for defending the lower Han River. The fortress is steeply sloped toward the Han River on the north and gently sloped on the south; its wall is about 220 m long and it covers an area of 29,370 m². Records of the fortress remain in various old texts such as the 'Sinjeung Dongguk Yeoji Seungnam,' the 'Yeojidoseo,' and the 'Daedongjiji,' and traces of the wall, including core stones (jeoksimseok) and wall stones, can also be confirmed. It is said that during the Japanese invasions of 1592 (Imjin War), General Gwon Yul stayed here before crossing the Han River and winning a victory at Haengju Fortress; together with Haengju Fortress and Odusan Fortress, it holds great significance as a key stronghold for the defense of the Han River.