As you pass through the wide Gimje and Honam plains, which are the breadbaskets of the Korean Peninsula, and enter Jeongeup City, you will be captivated by the sight of the Noryeong Mountain Range, with massive peaks rising to the left and right, standing like an iron fortress, unlike the somewhat boring sight of unobstructed fields up to this point. It becomes. Noryeong, also called Jangseong Galjae, which runs from Jeongeup, Jeollabuk-do to Jangseong, Jeollanam-do, is a transportation hub crossing the rugged terrain of the Noryeong Mountains in the Honam region and is a pass that has preserved many cultural relics and scenic sites since ancient times.

Present Noryeong- The Honam Line and Honam Expressway pass through a tunnel under Jangseong Galjae, but National Highway No. 1 still extends past Noryeong to Mokpo, Jeollanam-do.
When you cross Ipam-myeon, Jeongeup-si and cross Noryeong, which is 260m above sea level, the mountain you see on your left is Ipamsan Mountain (626m above sea level). Its appearance is even more impressive because it stands tall and contrasts with the plains of Jeongeupbeol. At the top of the mountain is Ipamsanseong Fortress (Historic Site No. 384), a stone fortress built on a natural fortress in the Noryeong Mountains.
This fortress was originally an old castle from the Three Kingdoms period, and was rebuilt and rebuilt during the Joseon Dynasty. If you climb up to Gatbawi Rock on the west side of the summit, you can see the Noryeong Pass that crosses the mountainside from north to south, and you can see the granary area of ​​Jeongeup spread out to the north. You can truly feel that this place is truly a natural observatory and fortress.

On the other hand, unlike the north, the south side of the fortress has a gentle slope and forms a basin shape. It is high on all sides, so the inside of the fortress is not visible from the outside, but the inside of the fortress is large, so a relatively large number of troops and residents must have been stationed and living there. can be guessed. It is said that the Mongol army was defeated here during the Great Mongolian War in the late Goryeo Dynasty, and it is also a historical place where General Yun Jin died heroically while fighting against the Japanese army during the Jeongyujae Rebellion of the Joseon Dynasty. According to the legend, during wartime, the castle was renovated and its circumference reached 2,795 paces, with 4 turrets, 2 gates, and 3 stone gates, and 9 ponds and 14 springs from which water flows from the valley within the castle. It is said that there was no need to worry about water, there were five temples within the fortress, and various weapons and more than 7,000 rations were stored.
Even today, the remains of the neatly built fortress walls can be seen here and there. In particular, the two large fortress ruins in the north and south give an idea of ​​the magnificent appearance of the fortress at the time.


The entire area of ​​Ipamsan Mountain, along with the adjacent Naejangsan Mountain and Baekamsan Mountain, belongs to Naejangsan National Park, so the fall foliage is beautiful as it lives up to its name.
It is better to climb Ipamsanseong Fortress through Namchang-ri, Jangseong-gun, Jeollanam-do rather than Jeongeup-si, Jeollabuk-do. There is a path up the valley above Manhwa Reservoir in Habu-ri, Ipam-myeon, Jeongeup-si, but the slope is steep and there are few people, so the mountain path is buried in weeds here and there, making it difficult to walk through the grass. It would be better to use this road in winter. On the other hand, Namchang Valley Road in Jangseong-gun has a gentle slope and a good trail leading up to the fortress, making it a suitable course for a family outing with children. In particular, compared to the fact that the areas around Naejangsa Temple and Baekyangsa Temple are crowded with tourists during the fall foliage season and cannot be seen properly, the fall foliage in Ipamsan Mountain's Namchang Valley and Sanseonggol is recommended as a more secluded and beautiful fall foliage course, and can also be visited as a place to visit patriotic historical sites. It's a worthy place.