Jangneung Royal Tomb, Paju

In a pine forest in Tanhyeon-myeon, Paju, lie King Injo, the 16th king of Joseon, and his first queen, Queen Inyeol. Add the story of a king who lived through the Manchu invasion and the humiliation at Samjeondo to the tale of a tomb moved because of snakes and fires, and Jangneung has more stories than most Joseon royal tombs. It was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2009 as part of the Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty, and with few visitors it is a peaceful place to explore one.

A humiliated king and his queen

Injo took the throne in 1623 after a coup that deposed King Gwanghae. His reign saw the Yi Gwal rebellion (1624) and two Manchu invasions (1627 and 1636); after holding out in Namhansanseong Fortress, he finally submitted to the Qing emperor at Samjeondo. Queen Inyeol died in 1635, aged 42, of an illness after childbirth. She had six sons, including Crown Prince Sohyeon and the future King Hyojong.

A tomb moved because of snakes

Jangneung was first built in 1636 on a hill in Uncheon-ri, Paju, as the queen's tomb. Injo reserved the spot beside it for himself, and after his death in 1649 he was buried there, creating twin mounds. Fires kept breaking out around the tomb, however, and snakes and scorpions swarmed and nested in the gaps between the stones. In 1731 King Yeongjo decided to move it to the present site, turning the twin tombs into a single joint mound for both, modelled on King Sejong's Yeongneung.

What to look for

• Stones from two centuries: original stones from the first site stand alongside new ones carved after the move, so you can compare 17th- and 18th-century royal tomb sculpture side by side.
• Peonies and lotuses: the screen stones around the mound were the first at any Joseon royal tomb to be carved with peony and lotus patterns, which also appear on the stone lantern.
• Two spirit stones: because it is a joint tomb, there are two honyuseok, the stone tables where the spirits rest, in front of the mound.
• From the red gate to the shrine: walk the stone path from the red hongsalmun gate to the T-shaped ritual hall, behind which the slope rises to the burial mound.

Who were Injo and Queen Inyeol?

Injo was the eldest son of Wonjong, who was honoured as a king only after his death. Amid the wars he reorganised the army, setting up two new military commands. Queen Inyeol, daughter of Han Jun-gyeom, was born in Wonju in 1594, married Injo in 1610 and became queen when he took the throne. The Manchu invasion broke out the year after her death, so 1636, the year Jangneung was first built, was also one of the harshest years in Joseon history.

Tripto tips

• Hours: February–May and September–October 09:00–18:00, June–August 09:00–18:30, November–January 09:00–17:30; last entry one hour before closing. Closed on Mondays, or on the next weekday if Monday is a public holiday.
• Admission: adults KRW 1,000; free for those aged 24 and under and 65 and over. Since 27 May 2026, Joseon royal tombs are free every Wednesday.
• Time needed: about 1 hour, including a walk in the woods.
• Best time: late spring, when the pines are deep green, and autumn for the foliage.
• Getting there: 90 Jangneung-ro, Tanhyeon-myeon, Paju, with a free car park. Heyri Art Valley is close by and easy to combine.