Stone Ice Storage in Hyeonpung, Dalseong

Stone ice storehouses were places where clean ice blocks, cut in winter from surface ice from a nearby river, were stored to be used in spring or summer.

According to historical sources, ice blocks were stored in this way in Korea beginning from the Silla period (57 BCE-935 CE). However, the stone ice storehouses remaining today all date to the Joseon period (1392-1910). The ice preserved in such storehouses was exclusively for government officials or noblemen, not ordinary people.

Stone ice storehouses were built with scientific consideration so that the ice blocks can be naturally preserved without other cooling technology. A hole was dug into the ground and walls were built with stone bricks. The floor was slightly inclined to drain water. The ceiling was made of stones stacked to create a dome. Also, there were several holes on the ceiling for ventilation.

This ice storehouse was built in 1730. In 1982, a stone monument that records when and how this storehouse was established was discovered in the vicinity. The storehouse measures 9 m in length, 5 m in width, and 6 m in height, with its entrance facing towards the slope. It is peculiar that a storehouse was built in this small village when not many villages had a facility like this.

Source: Korea Heritage Service signboard ↗ · collected 2026-10-08