Kaesong Walls

Welcome to the audio guide for the Kaesong Walls, a central highlight of the Historic Monuments and Sites in Kaesong, which was proudly inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2013. The fortification system that we are…

Long before the Goryeo Dynasty was established to unify the Korean peninsula, a remarkably resilient earthen fortification already stood firmly along the rugged lower slopes of Mount Songak as early as the year eight hundred and…

It is a deeply tragic irony of history that the magnificent imperial palace wall of Kungsong, which encircled the legendary Manwoldae complex to symbolize the supreme authority of the Goryeo monarchs, was reduced to ash and…

It is a truly astonishing historical reality that this colossal outer fortification, winding dramatically over a distance of twenty-three kilometers across the rugged mountain crests of Kaesong, was engineered as an ultimate…

It is a truly remarkable historical feature that during the dramatic dynastic transition when the Goryeo Dynasty was coming to its final end and the new Joseon Dynasty was being established, this inner fortress was completely…

It is a deeply moving testament to human resilience that this historic city gate, which was almost completely shattered and burned to ashes under the devastating bombardment of the Korean War, was miraculously reconstructed from…

Thank you very much for joining us on this comprehensive audio tour of the Kaesong Walls, a monumental fortification system spanning twenty-three kilometers that evolved from the early beaten-earth ramparts of the Taebong period…