Mt. Inwang(SEOUL Fortress Wall Tour)

Are you guys having a Monday blue? 🙁

Let’s get out of bed and exercise! Mt.Inwang is one of the best place to hike in Korea especially in autumn. You can understand why I am telling like this through my hiking story.
Now days Seoul is modern and complex city like other capitals because Seoul has developed a lot for short periods but still remain lots of historical sites.
One of them is Seoul Fortress wall and 4-main palace gates(Sukjeongmun, Heunginjimun, Sungnyemun, Donuimun)
*Let’s know about 4-Great gates and 4-Mini gates.
There are 8 gates(4-Great gates and 4-Mini gates) surrounding 5-Palaces in Joseon dynasty due to protect the palace.

4-Great gates

Heunginjimun(East) : Treasure No.1
Donuimun(West) : It was destroyed completely during Japanese invasion so we couldn’t see it anymore.
Sungnyemun(South) : Korea National Treasure No.1. It was burnt 10th Feb 2008 and it has opened after restoring.
Sukjeongmun(North)

4-Mini gates

Hyehwamun(East) : It’s located near Dahak-ro.
Souimun(West) : This is also completely destroyed during Japanese invasion.
Gwanghuimun(South)
Changuimun=Jahamun(North) : It’s the only Mini gate remain as original state

Seoul Fortress wall is connected 4-Great gates and 4-Mini gates outside the palace to protect castle .
There are 4 trekking course to experience Seoul Fortress wall.
I choose Mt. Inwang!
I get off at the Gyeongbokgung Subway station(Line#3) and start to hike the Mt. Inwang.
Mt. Inwang is located very close to Blue house(President residence).

Here’s the very beginning of Mt. Inwang. It’s just few minutes away from the subway station but it feels like not in the Seoul. It was November 2012 but I was sweaty and felt hot after hiking.

With fresh air and cool weather made me feel awesome!
After walking about 20 minutes, I could see landscape of center of Seoul.

Look at me! Some route was steep so my face is weird. hahaha.
Me and my friend sat down here and watched Seoul downtown. It was frightened to look down though.
Here is not a peak of Inwang. Seoul Fortress wall is waiting for us……

Endless steps was waiting for us and it was really good exercise.
This fortress wall is connecting 4-Great gates and 4-Mini gates so…go for it!
On the other hand, I was amazed how these wall was made only by manpower without crane, car and any vehicles. Walking along the wall, you can reach the top of Mt. Inwang.

Finally I went to the peak of Mt. Inwang! It took about 1.5 hours as I remember.
Weather was a bit foggy so I couldn’t take clear scenery photograph. 🙁
Having a lunch on the top of mountain was great. We brought fruit, peace of cakes, gimbap but we forgot to bring water so we were very thirsty….!

We went down heading for Jahamun(Changuimun)
Welcome to hundreds of steps!

Finishing steps you can meet the “Yun Dong-Joo” hill. He is famous poet who was born under Japanese colonial era and unfortunately passed away only 27 years old in the jail. His poem is about human being and desire of independence Korea.

Our hiking was ended at the Buam-dong.
Buam-dong is LDD(Limited Development District) so unique shops, restaurants and cafes are easy to find unlike downtown Seoul.