• Journal of architectural history
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.7-22
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• 2010

This study includes a review of the relevant literature and data on the Gyeolseong Eupseong, a coastal castle town of the Joseon Period. During the process of building the Gyeolseong Eupseong, Eupchi(administrative office) was transferred to several different locations for the following reasons:. first, to strengthen defensive capabilities by utilizing the locational advantages of the Seokdang Mountain Fortress, second, to secure sufficient space for holding the castle and have access to water in times of emergencies, third, to strengthen coastal defence by utilizing geographical advantages. Most of the Gyeolseong Eupseong was damaged during the Japanese colonial period. At present, there remain only part of the castle's facilities and some facilities that were restored later in modern times; 4 building sites have been identified. Remaining and destructed buildings can be identified through old maps(the local maps of 1872) and Zirizi and Eupzi(geography books). Also identified were 2 castle gate sites where a 1,500m-long stone castle wall and an ongseong(a crescent-shaped defensive structure), 5 chiseongs, and a most were constructed. The Gyeolseong area is assumed to have been a strategic foothold to defend the west coast from the days before the Three Kingdom Period. However it is very difficult to find any records created before the Joseon Period. Therefore, the time of the restoration of the Eupchi should be determined based on records created in the late Joseon Period. Finally, excavation work needs to be done to identify the locations of the castle's facilities.