Gochangeup Fortress

 castle, fortification, interesting place

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Built during the early Joseon Dynasty, Gochang-eup Fortress has a circumference of 1,684 meters. It is also called Moyangseong, possibly because the Gochang area was called Moryangburi during the Baekje period. It is surrounded by Bandeungsan, a guardian mountain to the east, and has three gates to the east, west and north, six chis, two floodgates, and a covering tower.

There is no definite record as to when this fortress was built, but Gochang-eupji and Donggukyeojisengnam just mentions that the fortress has the circumference of 3,008 cheoks and the height of 12 cheoks, and there are three ponds and four springs. There are engraved letters on the fortress wall, by which some people guess that workers were mobilized from various areas in Jeollado and construction was completed in 1453 (1st year of King Danjong). Another theory says that it was completed by Yi Hang during the reign of King Sukjong in 8 years. However, from the construction method of the fortress wall, we estimate that it was built in 1573.
An excavation in 1976 discovered West Gate Pond and East Gate Pond, and the fortress walls remain relatively intact, which were recently repaired and reproduced to their original form. The building stones for fortress wall were roughly cut, some of which were broken from the foundation stones and props. However, few seonggakuis remain and no traces of yeojang can be found.