In the center of my Korean hometown of Suwon is an extensive reconstructed fortress. Its wall surrounds an important central district of the city, and the main part of the park is on a city mountain, featuring lots of interesting stuff up at the top.

It was originally built to repel Mongols, and survived that invasion (due to surrender), and stood until the Korean War when Suwon was particularly devastated in the fighting.

It was rebuilt as an historical attraction and remains one of the only historic sites in Korea I enjoy visiting.

1. This is Janganmoon, the north gate. I pass by it almost every day, depending on the route I take to work.


2. If you walk around, grouchy old women will ask to see your walking ticket. One of the two women on the left ambushed me.


3.


4. On this day, we followed along the wall in a direction I'd never gone in.


5. There are places for traffic to go through to alleviate congestion.


6. This gate was intended to let water in. Originally there were grates over the openings so Mongolians couldn't enter Lord-of-the_Rings style.


7. This road is named Joshim Road, which means Caution Road.


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9. There's a lower class neighbourhood just outside the wall.


10. We caught a ride in this goofy ass vehicle up to the mountain top.


11. This kid followed behind us on his bike.


12. Engraving on a bell.


13. A nice place to sit and get drunk at the top of the mountain.


14. Looking down on the inside of the fortress, you can see how modern it is.


15. Here's my coworker standing in the opposite direction.


16. My favourite part of the fortress is below the wall where you can find giant rocks that I believe constitute the original fortifications. And there are all these trees that block the sunlight.


17. Speaking of drinking...


18. I was blackout drunk when I took this.


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21. I can see my apartment from here. It's one of the tall ones in the farthest row, approximately in the middle of the shot.


22. Here's Nammoon, the centerpiece of the area and a major shopping district.


23. Seriously? 200 years?



24. And in the train station, here's a miniature of the fortress.

wow I really want to go there now...

the third one is my favorite. All the photos together really show the lay out of the whole thing and the people in the photos make a good size reference. Nice work.