Mark Edward Brown's Blog

     I recently visited the Suwon Hwaseong Fortress which is an 18th Century Korean Fortress.  This was truly an adventure that I will not soon forget.  The sights and sounds of a day spent with the generous people of southern Korea was one of the most memorable days that I have had in my time on the Korean peninsula.

This palace was built in 1789 on the east side of Mount Paldal and was completed in 1794 to 1796.  Additionally, it was reconstructed and restored in 2003.

The first aspect that made my jaw drop was the size of this sprawling compound.  The archetecture is awe inspiring and the vivid colors as well as ingenuity of construction are simply, marvelous.

Before I entered the palace there was a martial arts demonstration that was composed of the 24 martial arts styles that were adapted from Chinese and Japanese arts that were melded to practical use during the late 1700′s by the inhabitants of this fortress and community.

I really think I could go back and learn even more a second time then the first.  I also must thank my guides who are world class liaisons of the Korean culture, their names must remain unpublished as I want to respect their privacy.  They know who they are and the special time we had that day.

I hope you have enjoyed this short description of the Suwon Fortress, if so leave me a comment and let me know what you liked?

To the Adventures of Your Lifetime,

Mark Edward Brown