Traditional Beauty Enhanced with Integrated Design
Strengthening Trail Identity and Unity to Attract More Visitors
Songpa District in Seoul (District Mayor Seo Kangseok) announced that it completed the 'Pungnap Earthen Fortress Trail Guide System Improvement Project' at the end of April and newly installed 121 guide facilities reflecting the area's identity.
The 'Pungnap Earthen Fortress Trail Guide System Improvement Project' was implemented by the district with a budget of 340 million won funded by the city, aiming to support residents who have faced difficulties due to long-term cultural heritage preservation projects. The goal is to organically connect the historical resources scattered around the fortress, as well as local cultural assets such as traditional markets, and revitalize them as a single tourism resource.
While the 'Pungnap Earthen Fortress Trail' includes well-maintained walking paths, there are also sections where alleys and residential roads intersect at fortress junctions, making some areas difficult to identify. To address this, the district improved the guide system by installing various types of signposts at key points to help visitors easily recognize directions and avoid getting lost.
The new guide system features an integrated design inspired by the traditional beauty of Hanseong Baekje, enhancing both unity and visibility. The improvements include: ▲ a comprehensive information board offering an overview of the trail; ▲ installation of 'Pungnap Earthen Fortress' letter sculptures at the fortress’s north wall and at the future site of the World Garden, scheduled to open in June; and ▲ pole- and ground-type entry guides at nearby subway stations and Han River entrances and exits. In addition, ▲ bench-type sculptures and ▲ pole-shaped guide markers?totaling 121 signs?will serve as wayfinders for visitors throughout the trail.
In particular, at the junctions connecting heritage sites to local cultural assets such as Pungnap Market, the district installed ▲ bronze floor plaques and ▲ pole-attached guide boards on utility poles to help identify the trail. More than 100 anti-advertisement sheets were also installed to minimize confusion in alleyways.
Meanwhile, the newly renovated 'Pungnap Earthen Fortress Trail' is a circular route of about 3.8 kilometers following the old fortress walls, composed of three paths: Fortress Trail, Traditional Market Trail, and Baekje History Trail. Visitors can enjoy a complete tourism course that includes major historical and cultural assets in Pungnap-dong, such as Pungnap Earthen Fortress, Pungnap Baekje Culture Park, and Gyeongdang History Park, as well as specialized streets and local cultural sites like Pungnap Market.
Seo Kangseok, Mayor of Songpa District, stated, "Pungnap-dong is a unique area where residents’ daily lives and Hanseong Baekje heritage coexist," adding, "We will make multifaceted efforts to ensure that both residents and outside visitors can conveniently enjoy the area's abundant historical and cultural resources."
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