Suwon Hwaseong Special Tourist Zone (수원화성 관광특구) - Area information - Korea travel information

Suwon Hwaseong Special Tourist Zone (수원화성 관광특구)

Suwon Hwaseong Special Tourist Zone (수원화성 관광특구)

1.2 Km    4179     2024-02-28

780 Jeongjo-ro, Paldal-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do

Hwaseong Fortress, Suwon, was built by King Jeongjo, the 22nd ruler of the Joseon dynasty, when he moved the tomb of his father, Crown Prince Sado, to Hwasan Mountain in Suwon. Because of its high historical and cultural value, it was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997. In 2016, the Hwaseong Fortress area, ranging from Paldalsan Mountain to Jangan Park, Yeonmudae Command Post, and Paldalmun Market, was designated as a special tourist zone, establishing itself as a representative tourist destination in Suwon visited by many tourists. 

Paldalmun Gate (팔달문)

Paldalmun Gate (팔달문)

1.3 Km    32375     2021-01-29

780, Jeongjo-ro, Paldal-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do
+82-31-228-2765

Paldalmun Gate is the southern gate of Hwaseong Fortress, and its name means "a gate opening to a road that leads to all directions." Among the four gates of Hwaseong Fortress, the northern and southern gates are bigger and more grandiose. The gate has an entrance wide enough to let the king's palanquin pass through and a watchtower over the entrance. Outside of the gate is a crescent-shaped protection wall called ongseong.

Among the ongseong walls found across the country, Paldalmun Gate's ongseong wall stands out in terms of size and form. The hip roof and decorations seen on Paldalmun Gate's watchtower resemble that of fortress watchtowers, and are recognized as representation of late Joseon dynasty's watchtower architecture.

Nostalgic Dalgona (추억의달고나)

Nostalgic Dalgona (추억의달고나)

1.3 Km    0     2024-02-01

44 Haenggung-ro, Paldal-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do

At Nostalgic Dalgona, visitors can make and eat dalgona, a snack that has become world-famous as it frequently appears in Korean content such as drama series like Netflix's Squid Game and entertainment shows. The recipe requires using a ladle and heat to dissolve sugar mixed with a small amount of baking soda. Once dissolved, pour out the caramel-like mix onto a tray, then stamp the surface with a cookie cutter of a preferred shape, such as heart, animal figure, or umbrella. The process of tearing off the edges along the pattern like from the scene in Squid Game can be quite a challenge and fun at the same time.

Bonsuwon Galbi (본수원갈비)

Bonsuwon Galbi (본수원갈비)

1.3 Km    17010     2020-04-15

41, Jungbu-daero 223beon-gil, Paldal-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do
+82-31-211-8434

Beef at Bonsuwon Galbi is sliced thin against the grain and marinated in a sauce made of several dozen ingredients for more than 24 hours. Even the perfect presentation of this tender beef hints of its extraordinary taste. Though the meat is definitely the main dish, another specialty of this restaurant is the doengjang jjigae (soybean paste stew) made of homemade soybean paste.

Janganmun Gate (장안문)

Janganmun Gate (장안문)

1.3 Km    17620     2019-12-31

910, Jeongjo-ro, Paldal-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do
+82-031-228-4416

Janganmun Gate is the main gate of Hwaseong Fortress at the northern wall. Jangan means capital, implying that Hwaseong Fortress is the secondary capital. Janganmun Gate served as the main gate because the king would pass from this gate when arriving from Hanyang, the capital city, now modern-day Seoul. It is interesting to note that this gate is larger than Sungryemun Gate in Seoul.

24 Martial Arts Trial Performance (무예24기 시범공연)

24 Martial Arts Trial Performance (무예24기 시범공연)

1.3 Km    11803     2021-06-07

825, Jeongjo-ro, Paldal-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do
• 1330 Travel Hotline: +82-2-1330 (Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese) • For more info: +82-31-267-1644

24 Martials Arts (Muye 24-gi in Korean) refers to the 24 martial art techniques in the Muyedobotongji (Comprehensive Illustrated Manual of Martial Arts). The manual was compiled in 1790 by Confucian scholars Lee Deok-mu and Park Jae-ga, along with the martial arts expert Baek Dong-su, under the orders of King Jeongjo (22nd ruler of the Joseon dynasty). Regarded as a resource for understanding the nature of Korean military science, the manual is an exemplary martial arts compilation that was organized into 24 techniques by adopting the traditional martial arts of Joseon, as well as China and Japan.

The 24 Martial Arts were practiced by the soldiers of the outer military unit of Jangyongyeong, the most elite military troop during the Joseon dynasty. Soldiers stationed at the northern and southern military camps of the Hwaseong Temporary Palace practiced these techniques to effectively guard the palace. It is considered as a significant intangible heritage because of its great historical, artistic, and athletic values. With the restoration of the temporary palace, a regular event is being held to demonstrate the 24 Martial Arts.

Suwon Hwaseong Fortress [UNESCO World Heritage] (수원 화성 [유네스코 세계문화유산])

Suwon Hwaseong Fortress [UNESCO World Heritage] (수원 화성 [유네스코 세계문화유산])

1.5 Km    344357     2022-12-29

Yeonghwa-dong, Jangan-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do
+82-31-290-3600

Suwon was one of four main regional government centers during the Joseon dynasty. Hwaseong Fortress, built to protect the city, was designated as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site on December 12, 1997 for its historical value. The fortress offers various performances daily as well as the Suwon Hwaseong Cultural Festival every fall. The walls stretch for 5,700 kilometers, with Paldalsan Mountain at the center. The fortress, constructed from 1794 to 1796, was built as a display of King Jeongjo’s filial piety towards his father and to build a new pioneer city with its own economic power.

Suwon Hwaseong Cultural Festival (수원화성문화제)

Suwon Hwaseong Cultural Festival (수원화성문화제)

1.5 Km    54574     2023-09-14

825, Jeongjo-ro, Paldal-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do
+82-31-228-3068

Suwon Hwaseong Cultural Festival is Suwon's landmark festival held every October at Suwon Hwaseong Fortress, a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site, and the Temporary Palace within the fortress.

Suwon Museum (수원박물관)

Suwon Museum (수원박물관)

1.6 Km    28469     2021-03-24

265, Changnyong-daero, Yeongtong-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do
+82-31-228-4150

Locaed in Iui-dong, Yeongtong-gu, Suwon Museum has one basement floor and two above-ground floors, spanning over an area of 6,535 ㎡. Suwon Museum consists of two main exhibition halls, Suwon Museum of History and Calligraphy Museum of Korea, showcasing approximately 33,000 relics, and a planned exhibition hall for special occasions and exhibitions.

Suwon Museum of History recreates a scene of Yeongdong Market Street during the1960s. Children can learn and get secondhand experience of what Suwon was like in the past while adult visitors can reminisce the old times.

Calligraphy Museum of Korea is the first calligraphy museum built by a local government. The museum houses Korea's significant calligraphy works. The hall features a spacious area and its display cases are designed with cutting edge technology to highlight the relics on display. Exhibited collections include geumseokmun (metal writing), beopseo (calligraphic specimen of renowned artists of the past), works of renowned calligraphers during the Joseon dynasty, eopil (the writings of Kings), seogan (letters), works of renowned contemporary calligraphers, and more. Also, a planned exhibition hall holds exhibitions with specific themes every year. In addition, the museum offers educational programs for visitors as well as large scale calligraphy events for the general public.

Hwaseomun Gate (화서문)

Hwaseomun Gate (화서문)

1.6 Km    18897     2022-12-29

334, Jangan-dong, Paldal-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do
+82-31-290-3600

Hwaseomun Gate is the western gate of Hwaseong Fortress, a Treasure. Over the stone mujigae (rainbow) door is a single-story tower gate. Hwaseomun Gate's ongseong (defensive gate) forms a crecent shape, with one side of the ongseong remaining open.