Ganghwa Island
Island County Of Incheon; Its Dolmens Are Part Of The UNESCO World Heritage Site Gochang, Hwasun And Ganghwa Dolmen Sites (2000) · Incheon, Incheon
Ganghwa Island is one of the largest islands in South Korea, lying at the mouth of the Han River northwest of Seoul and joined to the mainland at Gimpo by two bridges. It is an island county of Incheon and a concentrated course in Korean history. Its prehistoric dolmens, led by the huge table dolmen of Bugeun-ri, are part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site with those of Gochang and Hwasun. In the 13th century the Goryeo court fled here from the Mongols and ruled from the island for nearly four decades, and its palace site remains in the main town. Along the east coast stand the forts where Korean troops fought French and American expeditions in 1866 and 1871. Jeondeungsa temple stands inside the Samnangseong fortress walls, and Manisan carries the Chamseongdan altar linked to Dangun, the legendary founder of Korea. From the Ganghwa Peace Observatory, North Korea is visible across the estuary. Add a hanok-style Anglican church of 1900, a ginseng market, tidal flats full of birds and a bridge to Seongmodo, and Ganghwa fills a full day or two from Seoul.
Ganghwa-eup, Ganghwa-gun, Incheon, Incheon, 23031, South Korea
NO OPENING TIME HERE WAS CHECKED. The typical pattern: the forts, the palace site and the dolmen park are open daily from about 9 am to 6 pm, earlier in winter, with last entry about 30 to 60 minutes before closing; the Ganghwa History Museum and some other museums close one day a week, often Monday. The Peace Observatory opens roughly 9 am to 5 or 6 pm. Temples are open from early morning to dusk. The traps that ruin a day are relying on local buses between scattered sites, arriving at the tidal flats at high tide, a Monday museum closure, forgetting the passport for the northern checkpoints, and the Sunday afternoon queue on the bridges back to Seoul. Confirm current times before relying on them.