Horogoru Embankment, Yeoncheon

Site details

Horogoru is a unique Goguryeo fortress constructed on a triangular plateau formed by the confluence of the Imjin River and its tributaries. Since 2001, four rounds of excavations have uncovered well-built fortress walls, wooden palisades, large water storage facilities, and various building sites. Additionally, a significant number of artifacts, including lotus-patterned roof tiles, ridge-end tiles, pottery, and iron objects, have been unearthed. These findings, alongside the fortress structure, provide crucial insights into Goguryeo's fortification techniques and its lifestyle. Located in the most critical strategic point in the Imjin River basin, which served as the border between Goguryeo and Silla for about 200 years from the mid-6th century, Horogoru has yielded a relatively high number of artifacts of superior quality. This indicates that the site likely functioned as a command post for Goguryeo's border defense. Horogoru holds great significance for its contribution to the understanding of Goguryeo's unique fortification techniques. The construction method that combined the strengths of earthen and stone fortifications is characteristic of Goguryeo and has been identified in other Goguryeo sites, such as the Gongnaeseong Fortress in China, the Daeseongsan Fortress in Pyongyang, and several Goguryeo forts in South Korea. After the fall of Goguryeo, Silla took over the fortress and, rather than demolishing the walls in need of repair due to prolonged warfare, reinforced them by adding new layers. Today, the vast interior of Horogoru has been transformed into a sunflower field, and Yeoncheon County hosts the Sunflower Festival at the site.