Bukhansan National Park, South Korea

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Take this peak for granite. Bukhansan National Park, South Korea

Just a few miles north of the bustling capital city of Seoul, South Korea's Bukhansan National Park is a treasured retreat for city dwellers and international visitors. The park, established in 1983, hosts lush forests, ancient temples and the three granite peaks of Bukhan Mountain. Among the park's ridges and valleys, water deer, wild boar, chipmunks and squirrels roam freely. A careful ear might pick out the rat-a-tat of woodpeckers or the chirpy melody of the various songbirds that perch in the trees. The park is also home to Bukhansanseong Fortress, whose current structure dates back to 1711. The fortification was constructed to protect Seoul from external threats, which it did during the Korean War.