Gyeyangsanseong Museum

Gyeyangsanseong Museum

gyeyangsanseong-museumGyeyangsanseong Museum's entrance area

Gyeyangsanseong Museum is a newly-completed museum exhibiting the story, historical data, and artifacts about the ancient walls and fortress that existed in the past. The museum is tucked by the foothills of Gyeyangsan or Gyeyang Mountain in Gyeyang Disctrict, Incheon City, South Korea.

gyeyangsanseong-museum-exhibit-entranceEntrance area of the museum
gyeyangsanseong-pottery-relics
gyeyangsanseong-pottery-relics
gyeyang-fortress-relics
gyeyangsan-museum-pottery
korean-pottery

What Is A Sanseong (fortress)?

Korean fortresses are defences, walls, and forts constructed by Korean during the Three Kingdoms Period of Korea. Koreans developed their style of building such defences to protect themselves against foreign invaders.

Beginning with Goguryo Kingdom, Korea has been called “a country of fortresses as almost 2,400 mountain fortress sites have been discovered.

There are various kinds of Korean fortresses, including sanseong (mountain fortress). Other fortresses built aside from the mountains are called eupseong (city fortress), pyeongjiseong, gwanseong, jangseong, chaekseong, and more.

korean-fortressWhat's a Korean fortress like? This section describes the mountain fortresses in Korea.

This section describes what a Korean fortress is like.

korean-fortressKorean fortresses were basically built on favorable terrains to gain an advantage against invading foreign invaders.

"Since the 19th century, a fortress became a key location for defending against the invasion of imperial powers. Soldiers inside Jeongjoksanseong Fortress defeated our French forces. Moreover, a fortress served as the base for the resistance movement of civil militias assembled in various parts of the country against the Japanese invasion.

mountain-fortress-in-koreaMountain fortresses and walls in ancient Korea.

Invasions In Korea

korean-historyA painting depicting a battle against the Mongolian invaders in 1232.

Throughout much of its history, Korea has been invaded, influenced, and fought over by its larger neighbors. It has suffered about 900 invasions during its 2,000 years of recorded history.

In 1231, the Mongols began their invasions of Korea during seven major campaigns and 39 years of struggle, but were unable to conquer Korea.

Constructing Fortresses: Tools

Korean fortresses, including Gyeyangsanseong, were basically made of earth and stones. The walls were built by cutting the mountainsides or digging up and piling eath into a cast to bank it up.

how-to-build-a-fortressHow To Build A Fortress...

Korean fortresses were invented by Goguryeo and spread to Baekje and Silla, and then inherited and further developed by Goryeo and then Joseon.

korean-fortressTools for building a fortress

Structure of Korean Fortress

A Korean fortress was built to prevent invaders and preserving and sustaining the insiders of the fortress. Various structures were built to support the defence efforts and the lives of the soldiers and inhabitants of the fortress.

Mainly, the fortress structure included a moat, gate, fortress walls, square bastions, drainage system, and wells. Inside the walls were warehouses, barracks, and other facilities including reservoirs.

korean-fortress-structureThe photo above shows a fortress' structure including warehouses, barracks, well and water reservoir, etc.
한국산성계양산성

Cultural Center

korean-cultureKorean culture within the walls
korean-potteriesKorean potteries and other relics unearth in Gyeyangsan Mountain Fortress (Gyeyangsan Sanseong)
계양산성-유물계양산성 유구와 유물

World Fortresses Features

Also briefly featured at Gyeyangsanseong Museum are the world's popular walls and defences which still exist today. Some of them include the Acropolis (Greece), The Great Wall (China), Hadrian's Wall (Scotland), Sigiriya, Edinburgh Castle, Great Zimbabwe, Crac Des Chevaliers, Sacsayhua, and Neuschwasntein.

world-fortressesFamous world fortresses
gyeyangsanseong-museumWorld's famous fortresses as described at Gyeyangsanseong Museum, Incheon City, South Korea.

Gyeyang Fortress: Information

Gyeyangsanseong Fortress is one of Incheon area's fortresses built in the past. It is located at the foort of Gyeyang Mountain, which is 395 meters above sea level. The fortress was about 1,180 meters in circumference and its walls were about 7 meters tall.

gyeyangsanseong-fortressGyeyangsanseong Fortress map and descriptions
gyeyangsanseong-excavationResearch and excavation map of Gyeyangsanseong Fortress at Gyeyangsanseong Museum

Gyeyang Fortress Modern Images

gyeyangsanseong-imagesImages of early Gyeyangsanseong Fortress
mountain-fortress-countryKorea - a mountain fortress country!

Reconstructing Gyeyang Fortress

gyeyang-fortress-reconstructionReconstructing Gyeyang Fortress with a miniature Gyeyangsanseong

Getting to Gyeyangsanseong Museum

Getting to Gyeyangsanseong Museum is easy and very much accessible to private and public vehicles. Local buses drop by right in front of the museum, while the Incheon Subway Station is about 5 minutes away from the museum.

gyeyangsanseong-museumA front view of Gyeyangsanseong Museum across the road

SUBWAY
Take Incheon Line 1 and get off at Gyesan Station. Come out from either Exit 5 or 6 and follow the signage. From Seoul of Incheon International Airport, take the Airport Line and get off at Gyeyang Station to transfer for Incheon Line 1. The last stop of this Incheon Line is Songdo.

gyeyangsan-mountain-fortressA sight of Gyeyangsanseong Museum and the main road in front of it.

You might like these

  • Gyeyangsan Mountain is a beautiful and the 2nd highest mountain in Incheon Metropolis. Enjoy hiking and watching the surrounding areas from its freeing summit.

    Pretty Gyeyangsan Mountain

    Gyeyangsan Mountain is a beautiful and the 2nd highest mountain in Incheon Metropolis. Enjoy hiking and watching the surrounding areas from its freeing summit.

  • Songdo Island District offers the best travel leisure sites, entertainments, parks, & shops in Songdo. It is a beautiful island-city closer to Incheon Airport.

    Incheon Songdo Island District Attractions

    Songdo Island District offers the best travel leisure sites, entertainments, parks, & shops in Songdo. It is a beautiful island-city closer to Incheon Airport.

  • Songdo Tri-Bowl is a beautiful art structure and museum with a neo-futuristic design attracting both local and international visitors. It attracts film-makers.

    Songdo Tri-Bowl Attraction

    Songdo Tri-Bowl is a beautiful art structure and museum with a neo-futuristic design attracting both local and international visitors. It attracts film-makers.

  • Ganghwa Anglican Church article offers information about the first Anglican church built in Korea. The church, complete with facilities, stands on a hill on Ganghwa Island. The church was the center of Christian faith in the olden days. It is now a famous tourist site.

    First Ganghwa Anglican Church

    Ganghwa Anglican Church article offers information about the first Anglican church built in Korea. The church, complete with facilities, stands on a hill on Ganghwa Island. The church was the center of Christian faith in the olden days. It is now a famous tourist site.

  • Gyeyang Mountain Rose Garden annually exhibits over 30 varieties of roses. Located by the foot of Gyeyangsan, the garden blankets that side with lovely colors.

    Gyeyang Mountain Rose Garden

    Gyeyang Mountain Rose Garden annually exhibits over 30 varieties of roses. Located by the foot of Gyeyangsan, the garden blankets that side with lovely colors.

  • Heungryunsa Temple was originally built over 600 years ago. It suffered destruction multiple times but always recover. It is national treasure & a tourism site.

    Amazing Heungryunsa Temple in Incheon

    Heungryunsa Temple was originally built over 600 years ago. It suffered destruction multiple times but always recover. It is national treasure & a tourism site.



your messages

New! Comments

What do you think about this page? Leave me a comment in the box below.