Hwaseong Fortress

Hwaseong Fortress

Hwaseong Fortress
4.5
Points of Interest & LandmarksHistoric Walking Areas
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Hwaseong Fortress in the town of Suwon is just a 30-minute train ride from Seoul. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is one of Korea’s most important historical treasures and is the only remaining walled fortress in the country.
Duration: 2-3 hours
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  • Insertnamehereuserid
    Brisbane, Australia216 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Well worth a few hours visit and lunch
    We very much enjoyed the fortress city wall and gates, so respectfully incorporated into a city. Some lovely photos of city walls and high rises with the juxtaposition of high rises peaking over in the background. Great public exercise spaces. We missed the Flying Suwon ride due to slight wind conditions. The archery was great though. Plenty of places nearby to walk to for lunch. Really enjoyed the visit to explore the fortress. Slightly physical, but you can make it fairly flat too. The trolley car around the fortress was a great way for people who don’t walk so well to see the main highlights. You want half a day here, including lunch.
    Visited February 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written February 23, 2024
  • R K L
    Seattle, Washington3,936 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Yes, it was worth walking and even climbing a few stairs to experience this UNESCO World Heritage site...
    Suwon Hwaseong Fortress is the only remaining walled fortress in Korea. For the several dollars entry fee, we strolled the interior and perimeter of the complex at our leisure. An occasional stop for hydration and nibbles was always an option. Photo ops were also plentiful. The visit to Gyeongju and the Hwaseong Fortress provided a wonderful fresh-air break from Seoul. Personally, I am not good at taking walks. But, yes, it was worth walking a bit and even climbing a few stairs to experience this UNESCO World Heritage site.
    Visited September 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written March 25, 2024
  • pyt_go_girl
    Canadian Rockies, Canada166 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Worth the visit
    It is the first time I have visited an ancient fortress. We didn't walk the whole length but the area that we walked had some good views and we took some good pictures all week. We just took the subway from Seoul and too us an hour with 1 transfer I think you can take the express train but it wasn't going to save us that much time. When you reach the Suwon station, you will Still need to take a short bus ride. Quite picturesque and we were able to talk to a tour guide who wa manning the information booth to give us some history. We also managed to watch the archery classes. The instruction was in Korean though. Aside from the fortress, there are also many touristy shops and restaurants When you get to the Suwon station, it's a very nice one with an impressive food court with mostly Korean food, sweet treats and coffee shop. make sure you stop by. On the way back . We had dinner there. All in all if you have a day to spare, it's worth the visit. The city is very different from Seoul. Not so modern and touristy and very few English signs except at the fortress itself. If you are interested n history, I think it is worthwhile to join a tour. There is also a trolley which I believe starts at the front gate that takes you along part of the route.
    Visited April 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written April 12, 2024
  • 박시우
    1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Beautiful place to visit
    If you want to experience a Korean traditional architecture, I’d suggest visiting Suwon Hwaseong Fortress. By visiting here, you can experience the well-preserved buildings in harmony with nature. The best thing about this place is that you can walk around the whole place for free. Since Suwon is not that far away from Seoul, it didn’t take long time to get to this place. When I visited this place, the weather was great, which was perfect for sightseeing. Unique characteristics of Hwaseong made my trip Interesting and not boring. Also, the overwhelming night view made me think of visiting once more. It’s well worth a visit.
    Visited April 2023
    Traveled with family
    Written April 14, 2024
  • TIersHasie
    Sydney, Australia1,261 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    One of the highlights of Suwon
    My favourite thing to do in Suwon, although be warned to walk to whole fortress area can take at least 1.5hours. I did the whole loop and enjoyed it thoroughly. Many steps but lots of places to stop along the way. I love how you can go inside the gates and sit and relax compared to other gates in Seoul. Don't forget to check out some of the 'secret' gates along the way and lots of garden space to rest. The north gate sis apparently the largest gate in Korea. Nice to see at night also.
    Visited January 2024
    Traveled solo
    Written July 15, 2024
  • podrozniczka60
    New Jersey17,138 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Visiting the famous UNESCO site and enjoying the historic walk.
    We combined visiting the fortress with hiking the All Trails “Suwon Hwaseong Fortress Loop” (4 miles). That made this exploration extra interesting as we were able to explore the entire fortress and adjacent areas, climbing many steep and high stairs to be rewarded with views and different perspective. That did not stop us from coming down from the ramparts elevation to town within the fortress for a cup of coffee at a pleasant place L’after Coffee Bar. The 18th century fortress has interesting history and origin. There are guided visits available to this UNESCO treasure but with a little reading on the subject one have a great visit with decent understanding. The structures of the fortress are very interesting and can be explored. The visit can be started at Yongyeon Pond, the pond where a dragon stays, followed by the Northern Secret Entrance. Then one can walk along the ramparts visiting guard stations, Northeastern Watchtower, beautiful Changnyogmun Gate, Eastern Bastions. At some point you are likely to enter the city for another perspective look at the structures just to embark soon on numerous stairs leading to a hilltop. And then back towards the main structures of the fortress. The parking lot is a short walk from the Fortress and there is a small fee. Top destination in Suwon.
    Visited September 2024
    Traveled with friends
    Written September 2, 2024
  • LastMinuteLarry
    483 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Hwasegong Fortress
    I guess most visitors come to Suwon for Hwasegong fortress, beautiful in it's own way and also a UNESCO site - once visited you can see why! Walking along the fortress walls is a must, either in part or completely. From memory the entire wall is around 5-6km and takes around 2 hours. During our visit certain sections of the wall were off limits due to restoration. For the die-hards the entire wall walk will take in most of the gates, towers and secret gates with excellent vistas at multiple locations. Information is limited, but collectively all the snippets help you get a basic understanding for the fortress.
    Visited September 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written September 2, 2024
  • Mary C
    Ada, Michigan322 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Interesting historic place
    We visited the Fortress with our son who lives at Pyeongtaek. We were fortunate that it was Cultural Day and there was free admission. I believe the usual admission price was reasonable, though. Interesting to walk around and look through the buildings and get a glimpse of history.
    Visited September 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written October 16, 2024
  • missjojo2018
    Sydney, Australia401 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great views and scenery
    We visited on the day of the heaviest snowfall in South Korea. Nonetheless, we managed to walk along the fortress wall and visited some of the main spots/viewpoints. Even with the snow, the views and scenery from the fortress are amazing.
    Visited November 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written December 16, 2024
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Abdul Sameed
Seoul, South Korea24 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2022
One of the most beautiful attractions to visit at Suwon and feel the Joseon dynasty and the history of Korea. It is amazing to walk beside the walls of the fortress and see the modern and traditional architecture blend into one masterpiece. The fortress is surrounded by beautiful gardens and small ponds a great place to spend the evening with a stunning sunset view . and the place is even beautiful at night. I would love to go there again.
Written June 21, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Leong Chee Sheng
Singapore, Singapore353 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2023 • Family
Beautiful place but a lot of climbing and walking. The area commands a view of the old city, with the fortress and sentry posts pretty well maintained. Quite a bit of climbing and walking so it's very hot especially in summer and early autumn. My elderly parents had difficulties walking the place for long.
Written October 11, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Leonhkny
Hong Kong, China23,232 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2022
This is the perfect destination to explore Korean history without the crowd in Seoul's major palaces. Hwaseong is a well-maintained walled city close to the capital. A pleasant, largely flat trail along the old city wall offers a photogenic view of Joseon architecture as well as some picturesque spots. Very enjoyable experience with almost no foreign tourists. Well worth the hour drive from Seoul.
Written November 15, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jake Aller
Alexandria, VA36 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2019
beautifully restored palace and fortress dating back to the 16th century. The Japanese left if in a mess but starting about 1990 the Korean government spend a fortune fixing it up. the fortress, palace, museum and grounds are a short taxi ride or bus ride from the KTX station or subway line from Seoul. Coming from Seoul the KTX or the express train is the way to go takes 15 minutes as opposed to one hour via crowded regular subway line. there is a traditional market as part of the complex with lots of things to see and places to eat. Suwon's chicken street is near by as are lots of suwon Kalbi joints. Suwon is famous for both now a days.
Written January 27, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Kat
Seoul, South Korea2,170 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2020 • Friends
I visited Hwaseong Fortress at the beginning of May. I took a red bus from Seoul for a one day trip and had a good time strolling through tiny streets surrounding Hwaseong, little alleys full of cafes and then onto Hwaseong. I had originally planned to hop on the Hwaseong trolly and take it around but due to Corona, that was not possible. So I walked and hiked around for a few hours. I stayed past sunset to experience it and see the city of Suwon from atop of Hwaseong. It was a great experience and would recommend visiting Hwaseong when you have a chance. Some parts are wheelchair accessible. I had really good galbi for dinner right outside of the fortress. To see more photos from Hwaseong or the restaurant, feel free to check out my instagram where I post daily @katfuz
Written May 16, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Musings_MJ
Singapore, Singapore725 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2023 • Family
The fortress is well preserved with several gates. It was a bit difficult to find an entry point. We climbed up the stairs by the carpark next to Haenggung. But we found that we had to turn left to head towards the Seojangdae (Western Command Post) and Hyowon's Bell. And then backtrack and turn right to Hwaseomun and Janganmun (North gate). This is probably not the optimal route but we had fun. We had to brave the summer heat but this would have been lovely walk in spring or autumn. Fortress walls were well preserved and makes a scenic view over the city and the Haenggung. Must visit attraction in Suwon.
Written August 13, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Chris Ruggaluffagus
Yorktown, VA298 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2021 • Friends
This place is a great stop and definitely in my top 15 things to see in South Korea. The fortress, gates, bastions, command posts, etc are amazing and picturesque. So many great opportunities to get cool and beautiful pictures. Lots of food and markets located on the south end of the fortress are an ideal place to stop for lunch or dinner.

Small entry fee gives you access to the entirety of the fortress. Parking near Yeonmundae Information Center allows you access to tourist trolley. Parking is 2000₩ for 3 hours.

If you have time, plan your trip later in the day to see the fortress in day light and at night. Beautiful beautiful beautiful. Good luck and have fun.
Written May 2, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Vivian
Dubai, United Arab Emirates10 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2019
If you have ample time in South Korea, Hwaseong Fortress is the best side trip to add. Its far from Seoul but manageable and worth it. It is a large area in located in the center of Suwon. Aside from the historical trip within the fortress, have a nice stroll/walk in the market to experience the simple daily life of people in Korea living outside the main city (Seoul). A nice experience indeed!
Written February 12, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Lok Cheung
Seoul, South Korea67 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2022
The best time to visit Suwon Hwaseong Fortress is at sunset every day!

The fortress connected to Chang'an Gate has become a promenade today. Walking up the wall, passing the forts and towers, we can see the cafes along the road and the streetscape. The grass under the wall is where citizens play chess, picnic etc., as a homely space.

Suwon Hwaseong Fortress also provides a train tour service that helps the audience conveniently visit the scenery along the way. The front of the trolley is a dragon head, which symbolizes the authority and power of the king. Watch the following reel to feel what it is like when sitting on the train! I definitely love it!
Written June 19, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Alex H
Port St. Mary, UK2,590 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2023 • Couples
Suwon itself doesn’t have a huge amount on offer, but we took a day trip from Seoul to come and visit the fortress, and we’re so glad we did. We started the walk in the north gate, Jangan-mun, and walked around the west side and southbound until we ended up at the Paldalmun Gate. There is no entry fee.
The walk is fairly easy with the exception of one slope, but it’s really not difficult at all.
The fortress itself is very pretty and makes for some great views of Suwon.
Well worth a trip from Seoul if you get chance.
Written January 9, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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