Daeseong-dong Tumuli, Gimhae

A low hill in the middle of Gimhae is the burial ground of the kings and elite of Geumgwan Gaya. Tombs were built here for over 400 years, from the 1st to the 5th century, so the site traces how the small polity of Guya grew into Geumgwan Gaya. In 2023 it was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List as part of the Gaya Tumuli, and the museum next door displays the finds for free.

Reading Gaya history in its tombs

The tombs occupy a gentle ridge about 300 m long and 20 m high. Excavations found every type of burial from dolmens to pit graves, wooden-chamber tombs and stone-chamber tombs. Graves from the 1st to 3rd centuries cluster on the flat ground around the ridge, those of the 4th and 5th centuries on its crest, as if the elite's burial place climbed higher over time.

The wooden-chamber tombs, built from assembled planks, show that the change from log coffins to plank coffins came around the 1st century. Pottery, iron objects and Chinese bronze mirrors from the graves reveal exchange between the Korean peninsula, China and Japan. The site was designated a Historic Site in 1991.

In September 2023, the World Heritage Committee meeting in Riyadh inscribed the Gaya Tumuli, a group of seven burial grounds including Daeseong-dong, Jisan-dong in Goryeong and Malisan in Haman, as Korea's 16th World Heritage Site.

What to see

• The burial hill: paths lead over the grassy ridge past marked tomb sites.
• Open-air excavation hall: tomb No. 29, considered the first royal tomb at Daeseong-dong, and tomb No. 39, which was dug into it, shown as they looked when excavated.
• Daeseong-dong Tumuli Museum: opened in 2003, it explains the tombs and society of the Geumgwan Gaya elite with finds, replicas, models and video.

Good to know

• Between the tumuli and the Tomb of King Suro lies Sureungwon, an eco-park themed on the meeting of King Suro and Queen Heo, with fruit trees along the western path and tall straight trees along the eastern one.
• Add the Gimhae Folk Museum and hanok stay centre next to the park and you can cover Gaya history and daily life in one walk.
• The museum's permanent galleries are arranged around themes such as the final resting place of kings, society before King Suro, revealing the royal tombs and the remaining stories of Geumgwan Gaya. The special exhibition hall hosts temporary shows, education programmes and monthly lectures.
• Apart from the crest, the slopes of the ridge were once farmed; today they are laid out as lawns and walking paths.

Tripto tips

• Hours: the hill is always open. The museum is open 09:00–18:00 (last entry 17:30) and closed on Mondays, 1 January and Seollal and Chuseok days; if Monday is a public holiday it closes the next weekday.
• Admission: free, including the museum; museum parking is free too.
• Time needed: 1 to 1.5 hours for the hill and museum.
• Nearby: the Tomb of King Suro and Sureungwon are within walking distance. Suro Royal Tomb Station on the Busan–Gimhae Light Rail is close by, making this an easy half-day trip from Busan.