Seokchon-dong Ancient Tombs

In the middle of a residential block in Songpa, under the gaze of Lotte World Tower, huge stepped mounds of stone sit on the grass. These are the Seokchon-dong Ancient Tombs, burial places of the royalty and nobility of early Baekje, when the kingdom's capital was in what is now Seoul. The largest, Tomb No. 3, is more than 50 m on each side, bigger than the famous Goguryeo tomb known as the Tomb of the General in Ji'an, China. Even the neighbourhood's name, Seokchon, "stone village", is said to come from these stone mounds.

Baekje tombs that nearly vanished

A survey in 1916, under Japanese rule, recorded some 90 stone-mound and earthen tombs here. After liberation, houses were built on top of them and urban growth destroyed most of the rest. In 1974 a Seoul National University team carried out an emergency dig on Tombs 3 and 4 and found structures resembling Goguryeo stone-mound tombs; the site was designated a Historic Site on 27 May 1975. Even then, a road cut through the base of Tomb 3 in 1983, and only in 1987, when the surrounding houses were cleared, did the site become the park you see today.

Stone-mound tombs are typical of Goguryeo. Finding them in Seoul is seen as archaeological support for Baekje's founding story, which says the kingdom was established by migrants from Goguryeo.

What to see

• Tomb No. 3: the base measures 50.8 m by 48.4 m and it stands about 4.5 m high, built in three tiers ringed by large stones. Believed to be a royal tomb of the late 4th century, it is built entirely of stone inside and out, in the Goguryeo manner.
• Tombs No. 2 and No. 4: stepped like Tomb 3 on the outside, but filled with earth inside, a Baekje variation. Comparing them with Tomb 3 shows the two traditions side by side.
• Tomb No. 1: a double tomb of which only the base remains; the southern half is Goguryeo style, the northern half Baekje style.
• The round-inside, square-outside tomb and Tomb No. 5: look out for the unusual tomb that is round within a square frame, and for Tomb 5, an earth-covered mound edged with stones.

An excavation still in progress

After a sinkhole opened inside the site in 2015, excavations resumed. They revealed a connected stone-mound tomb, several tombs joined together, covering roughly 125 by 60 m. The dig produced the first cremated human remains ever found in a Baekje tomb, along with about 2,000 artefacts including gold earrings, roof-end tiles and Baekje pottery.

Tripto tips

• Getting there: Exit 3 of Seokchon Gobun Station on Line 9 is closest; the station is named after the tombs.
• Visiting: the tombs sit in a park with paths between them, and there is no admission fee. Please do not climb the mounds.
• Time needed: 30 minutes to 1 hour covers the main tombs.
• Go deeper: the site is managed by the Hanseong Baekje Museum in Olympic Park, open 09:00–18:00 and closed on Mondays, which displays finds and tells the story of Baekje's Seoul era.
• Photo tip: framing Tomb 3 with Lotte World Tower behind it is the shot you can only get here. The mounds are low and wide, so afternoon light brings out the texture of the stone.
• Nearby: Seokchon Lake Park is within walking distance for an easy combined stroll.