Bonghwasan Mountain봉화산(서울)

About

Bonghwasan Mountain sits on the northeastern edge of Seoul, bordering Sangbong-dong, Junghwa-dong, Muk-dong, and Sinnae-dong in Jungnang-gu. At 160.1 m high, it is a lone hill rising from the surrounding flatland. Apart from the main ridge of Achasan Mountain to the east, it offers clear views north toward Buramsan, Dobongsan, and as far as the Yangju area, and with no high mountains to the west or south, Namsan and the areas beyond are also easy to see. Bonghwasan is also known as Bongujae. It became part of Seoul, transferred from Gyeonggi-do, on January 1, 1963. This was the site of the Achasan beacon station, which received signals from Hanisan Mountain in Yangju to the north and relayed them to Mongmyeoksan (Namsan). The beacon was restored on November 7, 1994. Just south of the summit stands the Sansingak, Bonghwasan's village guardian shrine, where about 400 years ago local residents held dodanggut (village shamanic rites) and sansinje (rites to the mountain spirit). The original shrine was destroyed by a fire in the summer of 1992, and a new building of red brick and cement now stands in its place.