Hwasun Dolmen Site

On both sides of Bogeomjae, the pass between Hyosan-ri (Dogok-myeon) and Daesin-ri (Chunyang-myeon) in Hwasun, 596 dolmens lie scattered over about 5 km of valley. What sets Hwasun apart is that the quarries where the capstones were split off still survive. Few places let you follow the whole process, from cutting the stone to moving it and raising it as a tomb, within a single valley. In December 2000 the site was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List together with the dolmens of Gochang and Ganghwa.

Tombs among forest and rock

The official name is the Dolmens in Hyosan-ri and Daesin-ri, Hwasun, a Historic Site since 17 September 1998. Running along the southern foot of Gonjisan and Manjisan, the site is divided into clusters: Goebawi (47), Gwancheongbawi (190), Dalbawi (40), Pingmaebawi (133), Gamtaebawi (140) and the Daesin-ri excavation area (46). Where Gochang's dolmens stand in neat rows, Hwasun's are scattered among trees and boulders and seem to merge with the landscape.

Surprisingly, archaeologists only became aware of them in December 1995, when a team led by Professor Lee Young-mun of Mokpo National University surveyed the pass; just five years later they were World Heritage. Of the 596 stones, 287 are confirmed dolmens and 309 presumed ones. Within a 4 km radius some 400 more lie in about 50 groups, bringing the total to over 1,000.

The stone is welded tuff from local Cretaceous strata. It splits naturally into slabs, ideal for capstones, and its outcrops stretch for some 4 km. This blend of geology and history is why the area was also included in the Mudeungsan UNESCO Global Geopark in 2018.

What to see

• Pingmaebawi Dolmen: a giant capstone 7 m long and 4 m high, counted among the largest dolmens in the world. Sources differ on its size and weight: some give 7.3 by 5 m, and estimates range from over 200 tonnes to 280 tonnes. The largest dolmen on the Hyosan-ri side is 5.3 m long and thought to exceed 100 tonnes. The underside clearly shows tool marks, and there is a hole on top. Legend says that if you throw a pebble into it with your left hand you will soon marry, hence the name, "the rock for throwing stones". Other tales say the goddess Mago carried it here, or that a general lies buried beneath.
• Gamtaebawi Quarry: named because the rock resembles a man in a traditional hat. Drill holes made to split off capstones are still visible, and some cut slabs lean against the cliff, never used. In 1990, fragments of plain pottery with a sawtooth pattern were found here. The Gamtaebawi cluster just below lets you compare table-type, go-board and capstone-only dolmens side by side.
• Madangbawi Dolmen: "yard rock", for its broad flat top. The capstone, 6.5 m long and 1.1 m thick, rests on 10 supporting stones, a textbook go-board dolmen, with an oval ring of marker stones around the burial ground.
• Dalbawi cluster: "moon rock", because travellers crossing the pass thought the big dolmen on the ridge looked like a full moon. Stone arrowheads turned up here during landscaping in 2004.
• Daesin-ri excavation area: 35 dolmens were excavated here in 1999, yielding red burnished pottery, spindle whorls, stone dagger fragments and arrowheads. Charcoal was dated to about 550 BC and pottery to about 770 BC. Inside a shelter built in 2008 you can see the burial chambers as they were found.

Stories of the pass

Bogeomjae was a shortcut between Boseong and Naju. Bandits often lay in wait, so the story goes, and people hid a precious sword under Pingmaebawi in the hope that a mounted general would appear and drive them off, giving the pass its name, "treasure sword pass". It is also called Boseongjae because the magistrate of Boseong used it. The Gwancheongbawi cluster, "government office rock", is named after a magistrate who heard villagers' petitions on a large rock while crossing the pass.

Tripto tips

• Time needed: allow half a day to see Gwancheongbawi and Dalbawi on the Hyosan-ri side as well as Pingmaebawi and Gamtaebawi on the Daesin-ri side. Pingmaebawi and the quarry alone take 1–2 hours. The quarry involves a climb up the slope, so wear proper shoes.
• Getting around: the clusters are spread over 5 km on both sides of the pass, so driving from one to the next works best. Gwangju is close, making this an easy add-on to a Gwangju trip.
• Flower festivals: flower festivals are held across the site in spring and autumn. The 2026 autumn festival runs 16–25 October; during festivals you buy a paid ticket and get the same amount back in Hwasun local gift vouchers. Crowds are heavy then, so come outside festival dates if you want quiet time with the dolmens.
• Nearby: Unjusa Temple, famous for its many stone pagodas and Buddhas, is a short drive away and pairs well for a full day.