Gyeonhwon Mountain Fortress

About this place

This mountain fortress was built along the summit of the mountain and is called Gyeonhwon Mountain Fortress because it is said that Gyeonhwon built it. The connection between this fortress and other old fortresses in the Sangju region to Gyeonhwon is recorded in the Samguk Sagi (History of the Three Kingdoms), which notes that Gyeonhwon and his father Ajaegae were from Sangju. Gyeonhwon was born the son of a farmer and served as a general of Silla, where he raised troops in this region. In the 6th year of Queen Jinseong's reign (892), he raised a rebellion and attacked several Silla fortresses. In the 4th year of King Hyogong's reign (900), he established his capital at Wansan-ju and founded Later Baekje. The fortress is roughly square in shape and makes use of natural rock faces where available, building walls only where necessary, so that natural cliffs and constructed walls blend harmoniously. At the four corners, curved outwork walls (gokseong) were built; two of these — on the northeast and southeast — remain almost fully intact. This fortress has a similar construction method to Samnyeonsanseong Fortress in Boeun (a historical site), and is one of the rare Three Kingdoms-era mountain fortresses in Korea with fine masonry. The area around the fortress can be explored in about an hour, and the trail also connects to the Songnisan hiking course that leads to a helipad and Mungjangdae Peak along the Baekdudaegan ridge.