Hanyang Doseong, a piece in history in the heart of Seoul

Seoul is a city with a great diversity of touristic places, from the modern Lotte World Tower to traditional places like the Bukchon Hanok Village. This time, nonetheless, I want to talk about a place where you can enjoy both modernity and tradition. If you are an avid fan of history but also enjoy urban spaces, you will definitely love Hanyang Doseong. Also known as the Seoul City Wall, Hanyang Doseong is the historic remains of a once powerful fortress that surrounds the center of Seoul. In order to understand the significance of Hanyang Doseong, it is essential to get to know the history of how this place became to be.

After bringing down the Goryeo kingdom, the first king of the Joseon dynasty, Taejo of Joseon, proclaimed Hanyang (current Seoul) as the new capital of the kingdom. To protect the new established capital and his palace, he ordered the construction of a wall that would surround the city. In 1396 the construction started. The wall extends across the four main mountains that surround Seoul: Bugaksan, Naktasan, Namsan and Inwangsan. Its original length was around 18.6km, and nowadays 12km of the wall have been assigned as historic site number 10 since 1963.

Hanyang Doseong lost its original appearance after Seoul started its modernization. Many walls from the fortress were taken down because of various city planning initiatives as well as the construction of the subway lines. Likewise, during the Japanese Colonization many governors deliberately ordered the dismantlement of many wall gates and neglected its maintenance. Luckily, Seoul’s Metropolitan government established in September 2012 a department exclusively responsible for the wall, Hanyangdoseong Division, which ensures the conservation and management of this historic site.

My personal experience

I personally visited the Naksan Mountain Trail. You can start off the hike in Hyehwamun Gate. To reach this place you need to get to Hansung University Station and take the exit 4. This trail is about 2.1 km long and it is considered to be a relatively easy course due to its gentle slope. Finishing the whole trail took me around one hour or so, but the duration definitely varies from person to person. It all depends on your physique and how often you stop to take pictures, the view is amazing so trust me, it might take you a while picturing the scenery.

As you can see in my pictures, I stumbled upon a cloudy Seoul on the day of my visit. This didn’t stop me from picturing the beautiful scenery. What is amazing about this place is that, while enjoying a historic site, the surroundings evince the modernity of Seoul, you can  even picture the Namsan Tower!

The Naksan Mounain Trail ends once you reach the Heunginjinmun Gate. Commonly known as Dongdaemun, its literal name means “Gate of Rising Benevolence”. It was built in 1398 by command of Taejo of Joseon and the structure we currently know was rebuilt as an order from Gojong, the last king of Joseon and first emperor of Korea. Nowadays, you can find the famous shopping center Dongdaemun Market surrounding the Heunginjinmun Gate, as well as one of the most known urban landmarks of Seoul, the Dongdaemun Design Plaza. This fusion between modernity and history makes Hanyang Doseong a unique place to explore if you plan to visit Seoul.

Different trails, different experiences

In addition, the Naksan Mounain Trail is not the only course you can take. The following are the other trails you can choose from, they all vary in lenght and duration, so its your choice!

1. Baegak Mountain Trail

• Trail: Changuimun Gate – Hyehwamun Gate
• Distance: 4.7km
• Duration: about 3 hours

2. Heunginjimun Gate Trail

• Trail: Heunginjimun Gate – Jangchung Gymnasium
• Distance: 1.8km
• Duration: about 1 hour

3. Namsan Mountain Trail

• Trail: Jangchung Gymnasium – Baekbeom Square
• Distace: 4.2km
• Duration: about 3 hours

4. Sungnyemun Mountain Trail

• Trail: Baekbeom Square – Site of Donuimun Gate
• Distance: 1.8km
• Duration: about 1 hour

5. Inwangsan Mountain Trail

• Trail: Site of Donuimun Gate
• Distance: 4km
• Duration: about 2 hours and 30 minutes

If you plan to visit Hanyang Doseong you can find this and more information on the official website: seoulcitywall.seoul.go.kr

To finish, I recommend to visit Hanyang Doseong with the appropriate hiking apparel, take your water bottle and lots of mosquito repellent, trust me you will thank me later. So without more to say, I invite you to visit Hanyang Doseong and discover history right in the heart on modern Seoul!