Silla Military Stronghold 'Daegu Palgeosan Fortress' Designated as Historic Site

Responsible for the Western Axis Defense System of Silla
Common Fortification Styles Confirmed in Hyeonmun, Gokseong, and Others

'Daegu Palgeosan Fortress,' presumed to be a military stronghold from the Silla period, will be designated as a historic site. The Cultural Heritage Administration announced on the 8th that it will review opinions from various sectors for a month and finalize the designation through the Cultural Heritage Committee's deliberation.

Palgeosan Fortress, a monument of Daegu City, is located at the summit of Hamji Mountain on the north side of the Kumho River. It offers a panoramic view of the southern Daegu basin, the Kumho River, and the Yeongnam-daero intersection, which was a major transportation route in the past. Due to its strategic location, it is believed to have been responsible for the western horizontal defense system of Silla. According to historical records such as the Samguk Sagi, Sejong Sillok Jiriji, and Yeoji Doseo, its old name was Dokmo Fortress. The regional name has changed over time from Pallihyeon (Three Kingdoms period), Palgeohyeon (Goryeo), Palgeohyeon of Seongju-mok (Joseon), to Palgeo (also known as Chilgok).

At this site, typical Silla mountain fortress construction styles such as the hyeonmun (縣門) style gate and gokseong (曲城) are confirmed. The hyeonmun is a gate built high so that it can only be accessed by climbing a ladder, and gokseong refers to rounded protrusions built intermittently outside the fortress walls. The Cultural Heritage Administration explained, "The gentle slope of the fortress walls and the unique construction method at the junctions of the gokseong and walls demonstrate outstanding historical value."

Sixteen wooden tablets excavated from the wooden water collection site are also important materials for studying the local history of Silla. The water collection site is a space designed to store flowing or rainwater for use. The Cultural Heritage Administration stated, "It allows us to estimate the origin and development history of water collection sites in Silla mountain fortresses."