A UNESCO World Heritage city in central South Korea, Gongju is best known for its role in the history of the Baekje Kingdom. At the center of that legacy stands Gongsanseong Fortress, a fortified site encircled by 2,450 meters of stone walls.
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[Photo] An aerial view of Gongsanseong Fortress, the final stronghold of the Baekje Kingdom. The Geumgang River runs alongside the site, serving as a natural defense. (Source: K-Heritage Channel)
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Gongsanseong Fortress served as the final stronghold of Baekje during its last years. It was here that King Uija made his final stand against the allied forces of the Silla Kingdom and China’s Tang Dynasty in the 7th century. The fall of the fortress marked the end of the kingdom, which had lasted for nearly seven centuries.
More than a millennium later, evidence of that past continues to surface. In 2011, excavations at the fortress uncovered carbonized chestnuts embedded in sediment layers of an ancient reservoir. The find provides insight into daily life during the Baekje period.
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[Photo] Carbonized chestnuts excavated in 2011 from the Baekje-era reservoir strata within Gongsanseong Fortress. The 1,400-year-old inner skins remain remarkably intact, testifying to the long-standing heritage of Gongju chestnuts. (Source: K-Heritage Channel)
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Researchers found that the chestnuts had been preserved in remarkable condition. Even after approximately 1,400 years, their outer shells remained largely intact, protected by the reservoir’s anaerobic environment. The findings suggest that chestnuts were not only widely consumed, but also held economic and cultural significance.
Historical records support this interpretation. Texts such as the Records of the Three Kingdoms and the Book of the Later Han describe the region’s chestnuts as unusually large, comparing them to pears. Such accounts indicate that the crop was recognized beyond the Korean Peninsula.
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| [Photo] At the 'Winter Gongju Roasted Chestnut Festival,' held annually alongside the Chestnut Industry Expo, over 300,000 visitors gather to roast chestnuts over open wood fires each year. |
Archaeologists believe that chestnuts likely served multiple roles in Baekje society, from a dietary staple to a tribute item presented to the royal court. Higher-quality harvests may have been reserved for ceremonial or elite use, reflecting their perceived value at the time.
Today, that legacy continues in and around Gongju, where chestnut cultivation remains an important local industry. A protected 150-year-old chestnut tree in Wolsan-ri still produces fruit, providing a link to the region’s long agricultural history.
Local authorities in Gongju, together with neighboring Buyeo and Cheongyang, are preparing to host the 2028 International Chestnut Industry Expo from Jan. 22 to Feb. 13, 2028. The event is expected to highlight both the historical significance and modern economic potential of chestnuts produced in the region.
The discovery of carbonized chestnuts provides insight into a lost kingdom and its lasting influence on the region today.
