Cappadocia's Stone Heritage: A Model for Mokpo's Geological Tourism

Among global tourist cities, some have discovered their value in seemingly ordinary 'stones.' A prime example is Cappadocia in Turkey.

The volcanic tuff layers, shaped by rain and wind over millennia, have created unique peaks and valleys. People have carved this relatively easy-to-work stone to build homes, churches, monasteries, and underground spaces.

Today, Cappadocia's Göreme National Park and rock formations are recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Similarly, Bandelier National Monument in New Mexico does not view tuff as just a simple rock. Indigenous peoples shaped the relatively soft tuff formed from volcanic ash into blocks for building homes and carved out living spaces in cliffs.

Centuries later, tourists visit to see these remnants.

What about Mokpo?

Mokpo also has a stone of the same name: 'Yudalsan Tuff.'

This stone is found throughout much of Mokpo and can be encountered in iconic locations like Yudalsan and Gatbawi. However, it has been treated more as a common 'Mokpo stone' than a tourist resource.

Yet, a shift in perspective could reveal its potential as a new tourist asset that connects Mokpo's natural environment, architecture, and the history of its modernization.

In South Korea, tuff is no longer just a subject in geology textbooks.

A notable example is Cheongsong, which utilizes its diverse geological heritage, including thick volcanic ash layers formed during the Cretaceous period, for tourism and education.

The dramatic cliffs and gorges around Juwangsan are shaped by volcanic activity and erosion, and Cheongsong's geological resources have grown into an internationally recognized UNESCO Global Geopark.

What matters is not the stone itself, but the stories attached to it, linking geology, scenery, history, and the lives of local residents.

This is a crucial point for Mokpo to consider.

The Göreme Valley in Cappadocia is characterized by extensive tuff layers formed by volcanic activity.

Erosion by rain and wind has created unique formations known as 'fairy chimneys.' However, the natural landscape alone did not create modern Cappadocia.

As people carved into the rock to create living spaces, churches, and monasteries, the history of nature and humanity intertwined.

Ultimately, the essence of Cappadocia's tourism is not merely 'rock sightseeing' but sharing the stories of humans who have lived alongside these stones.

The same applies to Bandelier.

Here, tuff, formed from hardened volcanic ash, is relatively soft and easy to work with, allowing Indigenous peoples to use it as building material and carve out spaces in cliffs.

The world has transformed what seemed like ordinary stones into resources for history, education, and tourism.

A prime example of this potential in Mokpo is the main building of Muntae High School.

Constructed in the 1950s, the main building is recorded to have used tuff quarried from Mokpo's Sanjeong-dong.

This raises an important question: “What stones were used in other old stone buildings in Mokpo?”

Mokpo has numerous modern buildings dating back to the opening of the port.

These include the Mokpo Modern History Museum, housed in the former Japanese consulate, and the second modern history museum in the former Oriental Development Company Mokpo branch, along with a concentration of architectural assets that showcase the history of modern Mokpo.

In 2018, an area of 114,038 square meters in Yudaldong was recognized for its historical and cultural value as a modern city formed after the opening of the port and was designated as a national registered cultural heritage site.

However, it is essential to clarify that not all of these old stone buildings were constructed from Mokpo tuff, and it should not be assumed at this stage.

Rather, this is a task for the future.

The city of Mokpo needs to investigate the stones used in its modern buildings and old stone structures in collaboration with geologists, architectural historians, and cultural heritage experts.

This involves scientifically verifying what type of rock was used, where it was quarried, and whether it is the same as or similar to Yudalsan tuff found in Mokpo.

This could be pursued under the working title 'Mokpo Modern Architecture Stone Origin Survey.'

If the investigation reveals more buildings constructed from Mokpo quarried tuff, it would create a completely new narrative for Mokpo tourism.

'The stones from Mokpo's land built the city of Mokpo.'

This single sentence connects Yudalsan and the old town.

Until now, Yudalsan and the modern historical cultural space in Mokpo have been viewed as separate tourist attractions.

However, when viewed through the lens of 'stone,' they form a cohesive story.

One person to revisit in this context is former lawmaker Son Hye-won.

The real estate issues surrounding Mokpo's old town, involving Son, sparked significant social controversy, including speculation about real estate investment.

Regardless of the political and legal evaluations surrounding her, it is noteworthy that she showed interest in preserving and utilizing Mokpo's modern cultural heritage early on.

She attended a forum in 2017 on preserving and utilizing Mokpo's modern cultural heritage and facilitated the city’s presentation on modern cultural heritage and urban regeneration at a National Assembly seminar, demonstrating her interest in the historical and cultural value of Mokpo's old town.

At that time, some viewed the area as a dilapidated and declining street, while she sought to find value in its preservation and utilization.

Now, it is time to expand that perspective further.

If we have looked at the buildings, it is now time to examine the 'stones' that make up those buildings.

We should not stop at discovering the value of a century-old building but explore where the materials that make up that building came from and how they relate to Mokpo's natural environment and urban formation.

Perhaps Mokpo's true tourism resource lies not in creating new facilities but in rediscovering the value of what has been there for decades, centuries, or even millions of years.

If Mokpo were to capitalize on its tuff as a tourist resource, it should not stop at creating simple geological trails.

Tourism content such as 'Mokpo Stone Road' or 'Yudalsan Tuff Geo Road' could be considered.

The starting point would be Yudalsan.

From Yudalsan, the geological history of tuff formation would be explained, leading down to Nokjeokbong and the old town to explore Mokpo's opening history.

Afterward, visitors could tour the modern historical cultural space and stone buildings before moving to Gatbawi to observe the natural tuff landscape.

Buildings confirmed to use Mokpo tuff, like the main building of Muntae High School, could serve as a connection point.

If geological resources from nearby islands like Goha-do are included, it could create a cohesive tourist route connecting mountains, the old town, the sea, and islands.

Tourists would not merely ascend and descend Yudalsan.

They would embark on a time-travel journey from 'volcanic activity millions of years ago → tuff formation → natural scenery → quarrying → architecture → Mokpo as an opening city → today's city.'

The approach does not need to be grand.

A small information sign could be installed at locations ideal for observing tuff, and scanning a QR code could provide information about the rock's formation age, characteristics, and Mokpo's geological story on smartphones.

For stone buildings in the old town, it would be worth considering not only marking the year of construction but also indicating the type of stone and its quarry location.

'The stone of this building came from Sanjeong-dong in Mokpo.'

This single sentence would provide another story for tourists.

Souvenirs utilizing locally quarried tuff, educational programs, and geological interpretation programs could also be developed.

However, this should not involve damaging natural rocks or cultural heritage to create souvenirs but should focus on models and design products based on investigation and preservation.

Mokpo already has a significant tourism infrastructure in place.

It has Yudalsan, the sea, and islands.

It also has modern historical cultural spaces and Gatbawi.

The challenge lies in creating a connection that ties these various tourist resources into a single narrative for Mokpo.

'Yudalsan Tuff' could serve as one of those connections.

Just as Cheongsong has developed its geology and natural scenery into a brand as a Global Geopark, and Cappadocia has transformed its tuff landscape and human history into a world-class tourist resource, Mokpo must also examine the value of its geological resources.

Of course, Mokpo cannot be simply compared to Cappadocia; the formation, scale, scenery, and historical background of the geology differ.

What Mokpo should follow is not the scale of Cappadocia but the method of uncovering stories from the stones they possess.

To achieve this, academic research is necessary first.

It is essential to systematize the accurate distribution, formation process, and observation points of Yudalsan tuff and to conduct a comprehensive survey of the types of stones and quarries used in modern buildings.

Based on this, a basic plan for geological tourism connecting Yudalsan, the old town, Gatbawi, and Goha-do should be established.

A city that attracts tourists is not necessarily one that continuously creates new attractions.

A city that showcases what it already has in a unique way can also become a tourist destination.

The stones that Mokpo residents have seen as commonplace may hold the key to connecting millions of years of natural history, over a century of modern urban history, and today's tourism industry.

Now, Mokpo must ask one question: “Why have we not viewed the Yudalsan tuff beneath our feet as a tourism resource until now?”

This question could spark a new narrative for 'Mokpo, the city that attracts tourists.'

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