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:

Stairway to heaven?
9 Mar 2025The Shard, London
12 Feb 2025Celebrating Charles Darwin
22 Apr 2026Earth Day
13 Jan 2024Road to Hana, Maui, Hawaii, USA
A blue-tiful island
1 Jun 2025World Reef Awareness Day
Park of the Monsters
23 Oct 2025International Day of the Snow Leopard
18 May 2024International Museum Day
23 Feb 2026Great white egret, Upper Bavaria, Germany
15 Oct 2023European hedgehog
A breathtaking cave when it’s cold
4 Apr 2024Red lechwe, Okavango Delta, Botswana
29 Jul 2025International Tiger Day
Underwater underground
21 Nov 2023Grey seal pup
12 Aug 2025World Elephant Day
What are these predators doing?
29 Mar 2024South Stack Lighthouse, Holyhead, Wales
28 Aug 2025Great white egret, Hungary
26 Feb 2026Grand Canyon and the Colorado River, Arizona, United States
20 Sep 2023Aqueduct, Arkadia Park, Poland
10 Feb 2024South Downs Dark Skies Festival
22 Dec 2023December solstice
Im ready for my close-up, Mr. DeSquirrel
Farewell Ma’am
Black History Month begins
Angel of the sea
9 Jun 2025Old City of Dubrovnik in Dalmatia, Croatia