Paldalmun Gate

Paldalmun is the south gate of Hwaseong Fortress in Suwon. King Jeongjo interpreted the meaning of Paldal (八達) as 'the mountain is named Paldal, so the gate is also Paldal, and boats and carts gather from all directions.' The area around Paldalmun was a thoroughfare leading to the three southern provinces, so it was heavily frequented even before the construction of Hwaseong Fortress. Like Janganmun, a jar-shaped barbican (ongseong) was built outside the gate, and defensive platforms (jeokdae) were erected on both sides. Its scale and form are identical to those of Janganmun. Foundation work began on February 28, 1794, the same day as Janganmun, but overall it was completed about a week later than Janganmun for each construction stage. A carpenter named Yun Sabeom from Gangwon Province was in charge of assembling the multi-bracket (dapo) structure; this carpenter later oversaw the construction of Injeongjeon Hall at Changdeokgung Palace, continuing the dapo architectural technique that had been revived at Hwaseong after nearly a century. Paldalmun retains not only the original buildings from the time of construction but also the nameplates bearing the names of the supervisors and stonemasons, as well as the hanging plaque, all in good condition. In 2013, the entire gate pavilion was repaired for the first time, with damaged wood reused as much as possible. It is considered an example of preserving even the traces of traditional techniques left on the components.

(Source: Suwon Cultural Foundation)