Hwaseong Fortress

Hwaseong Fortress
UNESCO World Heritage Site
LocationSuwon, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea
CriteriaCultural: (ii), (iii)
Reference817
Inscription1997 (21st Session)
Websitewww.swcf.or.kr
Coordinates37°16′20″N 127°0′30″E / 37.27222°N 127.00833°E / 37.27222; 127.00833
Map
Korean name
Hangul
수원 화성
Hanja
Revised RomanizationHwaseong
McCune–ReischauerHwasŏng

Hwaseong Fortress or Suwon Hwaseong (Korean수원 화성) is a Korean fortress surrounding the centre of Suwon, the provincial capital of Gyeonggi Province, South Korea.[1] It was built from 1794 to 1796 by King Jeongjo of the Joseon dynasty to house and honour the remains of his father, Prince Sado. Sado had been executed by being locked alive inside a rice chest by his own father King Yeongjo after failing to obey a command to commit suicide. Located 30 kilometres (19 mi) south of Seoul and enclosing much of central Suwon, the fortress includes King Jeongjo's palace Haenggung. The fortress and enclosed palace were designated as a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 1997. It comprises among many other features the palace, a perimeter wall, four main gates, and two sluicegates over the Suwoncheon, Suwon's main stream, which flows through the centre of the fortress.

  1. ^ "Hwaseong Fortress (Summary)". Cultural Heritage Administration. Retrieved 2013-04-25.