Castle Hopping in Korea
Seoul Area, South Korea
Korea has a lot more than just castles to offer visitors, but for many people, castles embody much of Korea’s proud and turbulent history. Visit and let your imagination take you back to the days of yore.
Dongdaemun Gate, Seoul The last castle can be found within Seoul itself. In 1394, the King Taejo of the Joseon dynasty moved his kingdom’s capital to Seoul. In the same year, he began a massive construction project involving two to three hundred thousand workers to build a wall around the new capital. Over the years, the walls changed and evolved. A series of striking gates were constructed to allow entry to the city. Although most of the city walls were destroyed during the Japanese Colonial Period, several of the gates still remain. In the heart of Seoul’s downtown shopping district, the massive Dongdaemun (or East) gate still remains. As can be seen in the other Korean castles, Dongdaemun has the semicircle wall that was used to entrap enemies who try to force open the gate. Reaching above the gate is the imposing, but colorful gate structure.
Korea has a lot more than just castles to offer visitors, but for many people, castles embody much of Korea’s proud and turbulent history. Visit and let your imagination take you back to the days of yore.
