Jangneung Royal Tomb (Yeongwol)

Jangneung in Yeongwol, Gangwon Province, is the tomb of King Danjong, the 6th king of Joseon. It tells the story of a boy king who lost his throne to his uncle and died in exile, and of a local official who buried him at the risk of his own life. It became a Historic Site in 1970 and in 2009 joined the UNESCO World Heritage list as one of the Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty.

History: the king no one dared to bury

Danjong handed the throne to his uncle, Grand Prince Suyang (later King Sejo), and became retired king. When an attempt to restore him failed, he was demoted to Prince Nosan and exiled to Cheongnyeongpo in Yeongwol. In 1457, aged seventeen, he was forced to take poison.

Fearing punishment, nobody would take care of his body, until the local official Eom Heung-do secretly recovered it and buried it on this spot. As a result Jangneung is the only Joseon royal tomb outside the capital region, the one tomb that broke the rule that royal tombs had to lie within 100 ri of Hanyang.

In 1516 the county magistrate Park Chung-won found the grave and held the first rites there, and in 1580 a stone table, lantern and pillars were added. Only in 1698, when King Sukjong gave Danjong his posthumous royal title, did the tomb receive the name Jangneung.

What to see

• The burial mound: a mound on a hill surrounded by pine forest. It was laid out simply on royal orders, so its stone figures are more modest than at other royal tombs.
• An L-shaped layout: at other royal tombs the red gate, the T-shaped shrine and the mound stand in a straight line, but at Jangneung they turn at a right angle to follow the terrain.
• Jangpanok and Baesikdan: a hall and altar where rites are held for 268 officials who stayed loyal to Danjong, facilities found at no other royal tomb.
• Eom Heung-do memorial pavilion: built in 1726 on the orders of King Yeongjo to honour Eom's loyalty.
• Yeongcheon well: dug in 1791 by the Yeongwol magistrate Park Gi-jeong in memory of Danjong.
• Danjong History Museum: opened in 2002, with objects and stories related to the king.

Did you know

• The Danjong rites go back to the first ceremony in 1516 and are now an intangible heritage of Gangwon Province. The Danjong Cultural Festival is held every spring; the 59th edition took place on 24–26 April 2026.
• After the film Wanggwa saneun namja about Danjong opened in February 2026, visitor numbers soared: from January to 17 May 2026 Jangneung alone welcomed more than 226,000 people.
• The Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty are 40 tombs in 18 locations inscribed together as one World Heritage Site.

Tripto tips

• Closing days: since 2025 the site closes every Monday and on Seollal and Chuseok days. If a Monday is a public holiday, it opens and closes on the next weekday instead.
• Combine with: Cheongnyeongpo, where Danjong lived in exile, completes the story. During the festival a re-enactment of the exile procession and evening openings were also held.
• Time needed: 1 to 1.5 hours is enough for the tomb and the museum.
• When to go: spring, when the pines are fresh, and autumn colours are best. Check opening hours and fees on the Yeongwol County website.