Pyongyang Castle, Historic fortress site in Pyongyang, North Korea.
Pyongyang Castle is a historic fortress in Pyongyang, North Korea, set on elevated ground above the Taedong River. The site consists of stone walls, gates, and towers arranged across the hilltops that frame the city on its northern side.
The fortress dates back to the Goguryeo period, when Pyongyang became the kingdom's capital in the 5th century. Later dynasties continued to use and modify the site over the following centuries.
Pyongyang Castle features several surviving gates and wall sections that visitors can walk along or observe up close today. Some parts of the site are better preserved than others, giving a clear sense of how the fortification once enclosed the city.
Visiting the site requires official permission and is generally possible only through guided tours, as is the case for most places in North Korea. The terrain is hilly and uneven in parts, so sturdy footwear is a good idea.
The builders incorporated natural rock outcrops directly into the walls, so in several places the stone masonry and the bedrock are hard to tell apart. This technique is still visible along certain sections of the walls today.
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