Daereungwon Tomb Complex
Daereungwon in Gyeongju, a massive tomb complex of Silla
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Planning the visit
Daereungwon Tomb Complex is stop 2 of 8 on the Golden Era Route.
You will find the stamp at the Cultural commentator's office adjacent to Cheonmachong in the Daereungwon Tomb Complex.
Admission is charged: Adults KRW 3,000 / Teenagers, Soldiers KRW 2,000 / Children KRW 1,000.
The two closest stamp points are Seokguram Grotto, 11 km away, and Bulguksa Temple at 13 km. All three fit into one day.
Details
- Address
- 261, Nodong-dong, Gyeongju-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do
- Stamp zone
- Cultural commentator's office adjacent to Cheonmachong in the Daereungwon Tomb Complex
- Hours
- The main entrance 09:00-22:00 (Admission through the main entrance closed 21:30) Rear entrance, Cheonmachong 09:00-21:30
- Admission
- Adults KRW 3,000 / Teenagers, Soldiers KRW 2,000 / Children KRW 1,000
- Phone
- 054-750-8650
- Coordinates
- 35.82674, 129.46574
What the campaign says about it
Gyeongju is home to 23 ancient tombs of Silla, and most of them can be found within the grounds of the Daereungwon Tomb Complex. Although the tombs are all clustered together, we recommend visiting Hwangnamdaechong, Cheonmachong, and the tomb of King Michu first, as they are the larger of the tombs in Gyeongju. In particular, Hwangnamdaechong, the largest tomb from the Silla, is presumed to be the tomb of a royal family of Silla. A number of relics were found inside Hwangnamdaechong, which features two burial mounds connected to each other (together, the shape looks like a snowman), including the Gold Necklace from the South Mound of Hwangnamdaechong Tomb (national treasure), the Gold Waist Belt from the North Mound of Hwangnamdaechong Tomb (national treasure), etc. Meanwhile, Cheonmachong made headlines during its excavation when archaeologists unearthed more than 10,000 relics. It is the only tomb from Silla where visitors can look inside the tomb. The name “Cheonma” comes from one of its relics, a Jangni (a harness that hangs on both sides of a horse's side) that depicted a heavenly horse soaring to the sky. Jangni cheonmado (Painting of Heavenly Horse on a Saddle Flap) from Cheonmachong Tomb (national treasure) holds great significance in that it is the only surviving painting from the Silla period. The tomb of King Michu in Gyeongju is the tomb of King Michu, the 13th monarch of Silla. King Michu is known as the first king of the Kim clan of Silla and the 7th generation descendant of Kim Al-ji, the progenitor of the Kim clan of Silla. Samguk Sagi writes that King Michu was buried in Daereung, which is where the name “Daereungwon” comes from. Gold Necklace from the South Mound of Hwangnamdaechong Tomb This is a golden necklace discovered in Hwangnamdaechong Tomb. It was found hanging around the neck of the person buried inside a coffin in the south mound. While most of the necklaces found in Shilla tombs in Gyeongju have blue curved jade pendants at the end, this necklace is unique in that it is made entirely of gold and also decorated with a gold pendant shaped like a blue curved jade pendant. Gold Waist Belt from the North Mound of Hwangnamdaechong Tomb This gold belt made of 28 plates (main belt and tassels) was discovered in the north mound of Hwangnamdaechong. Given the small holes, it appears the belt was threaded to a leather strap. The belt was discovered in perfect condition and has become an important resource in understanding how people wore belts and how belts were arranged in Silla. Jangni cheonmado (Painting of Heavenly Horse on a Saddle Flap) from Cheonmachong Tomb Discovered inside a tomb in Hwangnam-dong, Gyeongju, this saddle strap painting depicts a heavenly horse (Cheonma). If you look at the shape of the horse drawn on the Cheonmado and the vines on the border, you can learn the fact that Silla paintings were influenced by Goguryeo painting - the same style can be found in the murals from Goguryeo’s Muyongchong and other tombs.
Quoted from the Visit Korean Heritage Campaign.
Getting there
Get off at the KTX Singyeongju station → Take bus no. 60 at the Singyeongju station bus stop → Get off at Cheonmachong (rear entrance) bus stop → Walk for 3 minutes
Photographs
Photographs supplied by the Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation.