Chilgok Weir
Chilgok Weir (칠곡보; map; Chilgok-bo) is the Nakdong River’s fourth watergate. Built by the Four Rivers Project in 2011, it borrows its name from where it stays, Chilgok County (칠곡군; map).
The weir measures 348 meters, with 200 meters of movable beams regulating the river’s flow, and a 452-meter maintenance and pedestrian bridge overtop. A pair of hydroelectric plants capture 15.4 GWh of juice per year to power 14,000 homes.
Chilgok’s towers reflect the legend of Cheolu. During the Silla period, Doseon (도선; 827~898) a Buddhist monk, climbed nearby Ga Mountain (가산; map) and found iron bulls buried in a flat rock (가산바위; map) near the summit. It’s thought they brought good luck to the territory.
On the weir’s east side, find Chilgok Weir Observatory. It hosts a convenience store and an office where you can buy and certify bike passports. Chilgok-bo Certification Center sits just outside.
A handful of attractions lure families and tourists to Chilgok Weir, including:
- Waegwan Memorial Hall (왜관지구전적기념관; map) — commemorates the heavy fighting around the Pusan Perimeter and in Waegwan Town (왜관읍; map).
- Chilgok Weir Ecological Park (칠곡보생태공원; map) — a riverside park beside the weir with walking trails and auto campgrounds.
- Honey Bee Country Experience Center (꿀벌나라; map) — honey bee farm and discovery place.
- Gwanhosan Fortress (관호산성; map) — a pavilion and fortress atop a western hill.
- Chilgok Peace Fountain (평화음악분수; map) — a fountain with 314 LEDs and 563 nozzles that shoot water 55 meters. Located two kilometers south of the weir (directions).
