Traveling is a great time to discover new places and cultures. When going somewhere new, is always interesting to find more about the history of that place. South Korea will surprise you on how they were able to maintain their culture and history in the middle of big cities. You can see it in great cities such as Seoul and Busan, but also in smaller cities such as Suwon and Incheon. In this post, I’m going to introduce Suwon’s walk on the wall: a great alternative for those who enjoy the physical activity but also want to learn more about various places.
The walk on the wall in Suwon is nothing more than a reconstruction of the Hwasong Fortress. Although a lot of the Korean traditional construction sites were destroyed after the Japanese invasion, Korean people rebuilt it to preserve their history, as it should be done in more places where colonizers tried to erase the history. The Suwon walk on the wall is a very chili sightseeing program, that pretty much anyone can do, because it’s not difficult as climbing a mountain – all you have to do is walk! There is only a few stair, but nothing impossible and also not too high.
I recommend you to go to Suwon in a day with nice weather – not too hot or too cold, once the Hawseong fortress is sky opened, so you will feel the weather as it is. If it’s too hot you might feel like the walk is a struggle, which will kinda ruin the experience. If it’s cold it’s gonna be too windy, so also a bit bothersome. The best moment to go is either spring or autumn. Find you a day with a nice temperature and prepare a bottle of water and some light snacks for the amazing walk on the wall!
As for me, besides learning a lot about Korean culture and history and seeing how the fortress worked, I was also able to see beautiful landscapes. There are several spots to seat and rest during the walk – which doesn’t take more than one hour to complete. You will see the interesting contrast between modern constructions and roads and ancient things. It’s really amusing to be on a fortress that mimics something that was built so many years ago while looking around and being able to see roads, cars, buildings, and many more things that compounds our modern landscape.
Suwon is also a beautiful city to visit during spring while doing the walk you will be able to see a lot of flowers blossoming everywhere, which I’m sure will fill your heart with calm. Is always good to see pretty and different landscapes, and Korean spring is definitely a must to be seen from above. But the fortress itself is amazing to be seen as well. There will be a lot of Korean traditional paintings and architecture to check, and therefore a lot of learning while exercising a bit. The kind of walk that pleases everyone in the party!
As you go on walking, you will be able to see the bigger parts of the fortress and also the palace. Yes, yes, Korea is really amazing when it comer to palaces! And the best thing is that you pretty much find palaces everywhere you go. Suwon wouldn’t be any different, especially considering this is a walk on a fortress, and fortresses were made mainly to protect the palaces. Not only in Asia, but all over the world. The interesting thing about Korean fortress is definitely the architecture, which differs a lot from what we are used to seeing in pictures and books.
The palace is a great goal to set. I am not gonna upload pictures of the palace itself and leave it to your imagination and curiosity about going to Suwon palace. Instead, I’ll upload here this picture of the end of the fortress, where Korean army troops were gathered and trained to protect their kingdom. Once you finish the walk, there is an informative sign telling more about the history of the place, with a version in English so you don’t have to worry about speaking Korean or not, the history will get to you either way.
By the end of the walk, there is also a cute park you can go to, and there is a lot of green to see. The air is really good to breathe! But don’t forget to bring a bottle of water along, because there are not many convenience stores nearby, so you may struggle if you feel thirsty or hungry. The nearest convenience store is around 1,5km away from the end of the fortress. But despite that, Suwon Hwaseong Fortress is totally worth visiting! Try it once when the weather is nice and you’re in a learning vibe.
Read more: The Incredible Suwon Hwaseong Fortress
