Old city wall of Hwaseong Fortress, Suwon, South Korea 28 May 2026

Old city wall of Hwaseong Fortress, Suwon, South Korea

As night settles over Suwon, South Korea, the old city wall pictured here shows that function doesn"t necessarily cancel out beauty—it can create it. Built between 1794 and 1796 under King Jeongjo of the Joseon Dynasty, Hwaseong Fortress was more than a barrier. It was policy in stone: a reform‑minded push for a leaner, better-run state, driven by practicality and a deeply personal motive. Jeongjo ordered its construction to honour his father while strengthening a kingdom that wanted smarter systems, not just thicker walls.

© aomam/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

Hovering over harmonious horticulture
Bungle beehives
28 May 2024The Monastery of Roussanou, Greece
28 May 2025World Otter Day

More Desktop Wallpapers:

9 Aug 2026International Day of the Worlds Indigenous Peoples
A prickly customer
17 Jan 2024Bavarian Forest National Park, Germany
6 Dec 2024Finnish Independence Day
25 May 2025Butchart Gardens in Brentwood Bay, British Columbia, Canada
Mountains of sand
23 Oct 2023Corn maze in Saylorsburg, Pennsylvania
14 Feb 2025Happy Valentines Day!
Rocky Mountain run-off
From victory to festivity
28 Sep 2025Town of Pienza in Tuscany, Italy
21 Sep 2025Sea Otter Awareness Week
13 Apr 2026International Dark Sky Week
Fit for a king
19 Aug 2024Huntington Beach Pier, California, USA
Amber waves of grain
Just a couple of know-it-owls
28 Jan 2025Short-eared owl
7 Jul 2026Plate-billed mountain toucan with orchids, Ecuador
31 Dec 2025Hogmanay
25 May 2024Aït Benhaddou, Morocco
10 Apr 2024Apple trees in spring, Germany
11 Feb 2026Badwater Basin, Death Valley National Park, California, USA
Bryce Canyon hoodoos in winter
24 Jul 2024Cousins Day
2 Apr 2024Beech trees and anemone wildflowers, Jutland, Denmark
19 Feb 2025European river otter
15 Sep 2023Glenariff Forest Park, County Antrim, Ireland
A 50-year balancing act
28 Apr 2026Spectacled bear resting in tree, Ecuador