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Built in the year of 3, the city acted as the defense of the inner city during the early Kogury period. The city was used for storing weapons and army provisions during peacetime, and switched to a military base during wartime. The king of Kogury moved the capital to the city in 209. In 244, Kogury was attacked by the Wei State, and Wandushan City was robbed and then abandoned for 100 years till 342 when the king of Kogury settled here again. But good times did not last long, and Kogury was captured again by the former Yan. The Kogury king ran away and the city became historical ruins after ups and downs.

With a perimeter of 7 kilometers, the grand city took an oval shape, with the northwest part raised and the southeast subsided. The city walls were built with regular stones. The well-preserved east wall is about 6 meters high. Wide passages were built on the wall top, and parapets were constructed outside the city walls. There were 5 gates remained, with the south gate as the main one that concaved inward for defense purpose.

Constructions found in the city include the Dewangtai, a reservoir and a large-scale palace foundation. The palace was built on the east slope and divided into two parts following the slope trend. Stone bases of a column were erected orderly inside the palace. Eaves tiles and common tiles with beast-face, lotus-petal and pane shaped patterns scattered on the ground. A watchtower was built on the south end of the mountainous region on the north side of the south gate. Ascending on the watchtower about 7 meters high, one can have a panoramic view of the whole city.