Gyeongju Fortress

This description was machine-translated from the Korea Tourism Organization's Korean original.

In the center of downtown Gyeongju stands Gyeongju Eupseong Fortress, a major historic site symbolizing a thousand years of Gyeongju after Silla. Whereas Wolseong was the center in the Silla period, after Goryeo the center shifted to Gyeongju Eupseong. Through the Goryeo and Joseon periods it was the heart of Gyeongju, where administrative, daily-life, and military functions were concentrated. Records state that it was first built in the Goryeo period and repaired several times in the Joseon period; the present restored appearance reflects the repairs of the 21st year of King Yeongjo of Joseon (1745). Gyeongju Eupseong as repaired under King Yeongjo is said to have had a wall circumference of 2.3 km, with four great gates—east, west, south, and north—leading into the fortress. All four gates were lost; the east gate, Hyangilmun, was recently restored. The roughly 100-meter stretch of wall that remained on the east was continued, and bastions, an ongseong (barbican), the east gate, and other features were restored and opened to the public in November 2018.