Acha Mountain Fortress
Encyclopedia
Acha Mountain Fortress is an earthen fortress of the Korean Three Kingdoms
period. Originally built by Baekje
, it was occupied in turn by each of the Three Kingdoms. It stands on Mount Acha
, in Gwangjin-gu
, Seoul
, South Korea
, at an altitude of 200 meters above sea level
. It has a perimeter
of roughly 1 kilometer and an area
of about 3375 m².
The first mention of this fortress in historical records comes from the Samguk Sagi
s statement that King Chaekgye of Baekje ordered it to be fortified against an expected Goguryeo
invasion. At that time, Acha Mountain Fortress would have played a key role in the defense of the Baekje capital Hanseong from the north.
In 475, Goguryeo overran this and the other defenses of Baekje, and King Gaero of Baekje was brought to Acha and executed. The fortress and the rest of the Han River
valley were conquered by Silla
in 553. The Goguryeo general Ondal
later died here while trying to reclaim the fortress.
Acha Mountain Fortress was designated as a historic landmark in 1973, and has since become a common local tourist destination.
Three Kingdoms of Korea
The Three Kingdoms of Korea refer to the ancient Korean kingdoms of Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla, which dominated the Korean peninsula and parts of Manchuria for much of the 1st millennium...
period. Originally built by Baekje
Baekje
Baekje or Paekche was a kingdom located in southwest Korea. It was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, together with Goguryeo and Silla....
, it was occupied in turn by each of the Three Kingdoms. It stands on Mount Acha
Achasan
Achasan is a mountain that sits between the counties of Gwangjin-gu and Guri in South Korea. It has an elevation of ....
, in Gwangjin-gu
Gwangjin-gu
Gwangjin-gu is one of the 25 wards of Seoul, South Korea. It is located on the north side of the Han River. It was created from neighboring Seongdong-gu in 1995.Gwangjin-gu is home to Konkuk University and Sejong University...
, Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
, South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
, at an altitude of 200 meters above sea level
Sea level
Mean sea level is a measure of the average height of the ocean's surface ; used as a standard in reckoning land elevation...
. It has a perimeter
Perimeter
A perimeter is a path that surrounds an area. The word comes from the Greek peri and meter . The term may be used either for the path or its length - it can be thought of as the length of the outline of a shape. The perimeter of a circular area is called circumference.- Practical uses :Calculating...
of roughly 1 kilometer and an area
Area
Area is a quantity that expresses the extent of a two-dimensional surface or shape in the plane. Area can be understood as the amount of material with a given thickness that would be necessary to fashion a model of the shape, or the amount of paint necessary to cover the surface with a single coat...
of about 3375 m².
The first mention of this fortress in historical records comes from the Samguk Sagi
Samguk Sagi
Samguk Sagi is a historical record of the Three Kingdoms of Korea: Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla. The Samguk Sagi is written in Classical Chinese and its compilation was ordered by Goryeo's King Injong Samguk Sagi (History of the Three Kingdoms) is a historical record of the Three Kingdoms of...
s statement that King Chaekgye of Baekje ordered it to be fortified against an expected Goguryeo
Goguryeo
Goguryeo or Koguryŏ was an ancient Korean kingdom located in present day northern and central parts of the Korean Peninsula, southern Manchuria, and southern Russian Maritime province....
invasion. At that time, Acha Mountain Fortress would have played a key role in the defense of the Baekje capital Hanseong from the north.
In 475, Goguryeo overran this and the other defenses of Baekje, and King Gaero of Baekje was brought to Acha and executed. The fortress and the rest of the Han River
Han River (Korea)
The Han River is a major river in South Korea and the fourth longest river on the Korean peninsula after the Amnok, Duman, and Nakdong rivers. It is formed by the confluence of the Namhan River , which originates in Mount Daedeok, and the Bukhan River , which originates on the slopes of Mount...
valley were conquered by Silla
Silla
Silla was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, and one of the longest sustained dynasties in...
in 553. The Goguryeo general Ondal
Ondal (Goguryeo)
On Dal , referred to by Koreans as babo Ondal , was a general of the Goguryeo, which was one of the Three kingdoms of Korea. Though simple minded, he rose from common origins to become a remarkable and brave general, died during an attempt to battle of Mt. Acha from Silla army in 590.-See...
later died here while trying to reclaim the fortress.
Acha Mountain Fortress was designated as a historic landmark in 1973, and has since become a common local tourist destination.
See also
- History of KoreaHistory of KoreaThe Korean Peninsula was inhabited from the Lower Paleolithic about 400,000-500,000 years ago. Archeological evidence indicates that the presence of modern humans in northeast Asia dates to 39,000 years ago. The earliest known Korean pottery dates to around 8000 BC, and the Neolithic period began...
- List of Korea-related topics
- Castles in Korea