Locating just half an hour away from Seoul, Suwon Hwaseong Fortress offers a unique cultural experience in South Korea. Constructed from 1794 to 1896, Suwon Hwaseong Fortress was designed by a leading scholar with careful planning, incorporating the best examples from Europe and East Asia. The fortress wall stretches 5.7 km long with 4 gates, a main stream in Suwon flowing through the center, firearm bastions, artillery towers, flood gates, observation towers, and command posts. Today, there is a main road going through the north and south gate and the stream is still running. The fortress was designated as Historical Monument in 1963 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997.