Jŏngbang Castle ( ko, 정방산성) is a

Koguryo Goguryeo (37 BC–668 AD) ( ) also called Goryeo (), was a Korean kingdom located in the northern and central parts of the Korean Peninsula and the southern and central parts of Northeast China. At its peak of power, Goguryeo controlled most ...

-era mountain fortress located outside

Sariwŏn Sariwŏn () is the capital of North Hwanghae Province, North Korea. Population The city's population as of 2008 is 307,764. Administrative divisions Sariwŏn is divided into 31 ''tong'' (neighbourhoods) and 9 '' ri'' (villages): Healthcare ...

North Hwanghae Province North Hwanghae Province (Hwanghaebuk-to; , lit. "north Yellow Sea province") is a province of North Korea. The province was formed in 1954 when the former Hwanghae Province was split into North and South Hwanghae. The provincial capital is Sari ...

North Korea North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and shares borders with China and Russia to the north, at the Yalu River, Y ...

. Cresting the ridges of Mt. Jŏngbang, the castle was founded as a fortress for the defence of the Koguryo capital of

Pyongyang Pyongyang (, , ) is the capital and largest city of North Korea, where it is known as the "Capital of the Revolution". Pyongyang is located on the Taedong River about upstream from its mouth on the Yellow Sea. According to the 2008 populatio ...

. Rebuilt in 1632, the castle is encircled by over 12 kilometres of 6-metre high stone walls, which extend to over ten metres tall in some places. The walls are pierced by four large gates, the most well preserved of which is the south one. Inside the castle, there are the ruins of commander's posts, barracks, arsenals, armories, granaries, storehouses."Castle on Mt. Jongbang"
KCNA. 25 February 1998. Archived from th

on 8 September 2017. The famous Sŏngbul Temple, founded in 898 and containing some of the oldest wooden buildings in North Korea, is located within the castle's walls.

References

1632 establishments in Asia 17th-century establishments in Korea Archaeological sites in North Korea Buddhist archaeological sites in Korea Buildings and structures completed in 1632 Buildings and structures in North Hwanghae Province Castles in North Korea National Treasures of North Korea {{Castle-stub

See also

References