Suwon's Hwaseong Fortress (photo-essay #2)

Before anything else: thanks to those who let me know in the comments thread on my previous Hwaseong Fortress photo-essay entry that they'd be interested in seeing more of the photographs that I took while walking along the walls of that magnificent edifice. And, of course, I'm happy to oblige.

So, without further ado, here is one more series of shots of the restored 18th century fortress built by King Jeongjo to help honor and protect the remains of his ill-fated father, a prince effectively murdered by being condemned to spend the rest of his days in a rice chest by his paranoid father...

Remember the Seojangdae (West Command Post)
in the previous photo-essay? To get a sense of
the distance covered, there it is up on a hill
near where we begin this second photo-essay...

Pigeons rest on the rooftop of
Hwaseong Fortress' Hwaseomun (west gate)


Looking from part of the fortress
to the most physically impressive of its
41 remaining (out of original 48) structures

That would be the Janganmun --
Hwaseong Fortress' northern gate
(and the largest gate of its kind in the whole of Korea)

Those who want to see Hwaseong Fortress
but not by foot can make use of
the "dragon train"sightseeing trolley ;)

Bright blue skies along with impressive historic structures
made for a seriously beautiful sight to my mind

The Hwahongmun water gate
is built over the Suwoncheon stream

At one point during my Hwaseong Fortress wall walk,
I crossed paths with a large group of
Korean school students who looked very happy
to have been let out for the day ;)

And for those keeping tabs: I'm concluding this photo-essay with about one-third of my walk along Hwaseong Fortress' walls to go... ;)