Yangseongsanseong Fortress

Yangseongsan Mountain was a part of Munuihyeon and is located in the west of Micheon-ri, Muneui-myeon. Yangseongsanseong Fortress, a ‘Temoe’ type mountain fortress, encircles the 292m tall Yangseongsan Mountain. According to geographical books of the Joseon Dynasty, Yangseongsan Mountain is a guardian hill 800m to the east of Munui. In spring and autumn, the Hyeollyeong held rites in the mountain. During times of drought, ceremonies to wish for rain were held near a pond in the mountain. The name of the mountain was changed into Yangseongsan Mountain in the second half of the Joseon Dynasty. Munui was originally called Ilmosan-gun in the Baekje Dynasty and Yeonsan-gun during the Silla Dynasty. So Yangseongsanseong Fortress was also compared with Ilmosanseong Fortress and Yeonsanseong Fortress. Ilmosanseong Fortress was built in the 17th year of the King Jabi’s reign during the Silla Dynasty according to Samguk sagi (History of the Three Kingdoms). In the 16th year of King Gyeongdeok’s (757) reign, Ilmosan-gun was changed into Yeonsan-gun. In the 8th year of King Taejo’s (925) reign during the Goryeo Dynasty, King Taejo ordered General Yoo Geum Pil to attack Yeonsanjin in the Later Baekje Kingdom, and Yoo killed General Gil Hwan. In June of the 15th year of King Taejo’s (932) reign, King Taejo himself conquered the place. So, the place went through many battles. In the 25th year of King Seonjo’s (1592) reign, battles were waged here during the Japanese invasion of Korea. This fortress is mentioned in various kinds of geographical and administrational books of the Joseon Dynasty. According to such books, the fortress was called Taesanseokseong Fortress, Yangseongsanseong Fortress, Yeosanseong Fortress, and Yangseong Fortress. It was about 845.5m around the fortress. They also give the details of a big pond which could cope with a drought or heavy rainfall. The fortress fringes three peaks and one valley. It is a ‘Temoe’ type encircling type fortress with a circumference of 845.5m. The fortress was built using the steep mountain terrain. They built earthen bastion like a rim by cutting away and flattening a little lower part from the top. So, they made the outside steeper and could use flatland, which was 5 to 20 meters wide, in the inside of the rampart as a passage. The northeastern peak is assumed to be Jangdaeji, since it is dotted with small and big stones and pieces of roofing tiles. The south gate was built on the southern ridgeline to block enemies from entering the fortress. Pieces of Baekje earthenware, Goryeo earthenware and chinaware, and rooting tiles discovered in the fortress prove that the fortress was built during the Three Kingdoms period, and that it was occupied by different kingdoms and used until the Goryeo Dynasty.

Cheongju IC → Garosu-ro (1.3km) → Gyeongbu Expressway (8.7km) → Dangjinyeongdeok Expressway (9.5km) → Arrival