Suwon Hwaseong Paldalmun Gate 'Reconnecting the Fortress Wall Project' Begins

The 'Reconnecting the Fortress Wall Project' to connect the broken fortress walls surrounding the Paldalmun Gate of Suwon Hwaseong has begun in earnest with building demolition work.

According to the Suwon City government on the 29th, asbestos removal and interior demolition of buildings subject to the project around the Paldalmun Gate have been underway since the third week of August.

After completing interior demolition, the city plans to install barriers around the construction site in September and proceed with the demolition of the building structures. The demolition work is expected to be completed by December.

During the demolition process, measuring instruments will be installed on adjacent buildings to monitor for any damage such as cracks. This is a preventive measure to avoid safety accidents and damage to surrounding buildings, given the dense concentration of structures around the Paldalmun Gate.

The Paldalmun Gate is the south gate of Suwon Hwaseong, a UNESCO World Heritage site. When the fortress was originally constructed, the left and right fortress walls were connected, but since modern times, roads and commercial buildings have been built, causing the fortress wall to become disconnected. As a result, the Suwon Hwaseong fortress wall path does not continue continuously at the Paldalmun Gate section.

Suwon City is promoting the fortress wall reconnection project with the goal of restoring the historical landscape of Suwon Hwaseong and expanding the tourism base by improving the surrounding cultural heritage protection areas.

The specific use plan for the site after building demolition has not yet been decided. The city is currently reviewing measures to manage the site safely and cleanly until excavation surveys are conducted. Subsequently, through excavation surveys, the fortress wall connection method and restoration scope will be determined after comprehensively considering issues such as traffic and urban disconnection. The entire project is expected to continue until 2040.

Upon completion of the Paldalmun Gate fortress wall reconnection project, the broken historical landscape of Suwon Hwaseong and the continuity of the fortress wall path are expected to be restored, and it is anticipated that this will also help revitalize tourism by linking the Paldalmun Gate and nearby traditional markets.

A Suwon City official stated, "Fundamentally, the principle is to restore the fortress wall to its original form, but depending on what remains are discovered through excavation surveys, the plan may change," and added, "Until the survey, we are considering ways to manage the demolished site as a safe and aesthetically clean space."

전시언 기자 yourside@news-s.kr