Oreung Royal Tombs

Step away from the crowds around the great mounds of Daereungwon, head a little south and you reach a quiet burial ground ringed by pine trees. Oreung, the "Five Tombs", is believed to hold Hyeokgeose, the founder of Silla, his queen Lady Aryeong, and the second, third and fifth kings, Namhae, Yuri and Pasa. The site is small, but it brings together the legends of Silla's beginnings and the shrine where the founder is still honoured.

History: between record and legend

The Samguk sagi records that four kings of the Park clan were buried in the Sareung grounds north of Dameomsa Temple. The Samguk yusa tells a more dramatic tale: seven days after Hyeokgeose ascended to heaven, his body fell back to earth in five pieces. When people tried to bury them together, a great serpent stopped them, so the parts were buried in five places. That is why the site is called Oreung, five tombs, or Sareung, the serpent tombs.

Archaeology tells a slightly different story. Large round earthen mounds like these appear in Silla only from the 4th century, which does not fit kings of the 1st and 2nd centuries. The tombs have never been excavated, so their interior is unknown. Oreung was designated a Historic Site in 1969 and became part of the UNESCO World Heritage "Gyeongju Historic Areas" in 2000.

What to see

• The five mounds: sources give the height of the largest, Tomb 1, as about 10 m or 7.86 m. Tomb 2 is a gourd-shaped double mound built for two people.
• Sungdeokjeon Shrine: the shrine for Hyeokgeose was first built in 1429, burned during the Japanese invasions and rebuilt in 1600, and received its present name in 1723. Descendants of the Park clan still hold rites here in spring and autumn.
• Memorial stele: a stone erected in 1759 within the shrine grounds records the story of Hyeokgeose and the shrine.
• Aryeongjeong Well: behind the shrine, this well is said to be the birthplace of Lady Aryeong.

Nearby

• Woljeonggyo Bridge and Gyochon Village: about 1 km east along the Namcheon stream is the rebuilt Silla-era Woljeonggyo Bridge and the hanok lanes of Gyochon, known for the Choe family house.
• Gyeongju National Museum and Cheomseongdae: the museum with Silla gold crowns and the Divine Bell of King Seongdeok, and Cheomseongdae, often called the oldest observatory in East Asia, are in the same area.
• Daereungwon: home to much larger Silla royal mounds. Seeing both helps you notice how Silla tombs changed over time.

Tripto tips

• Hours and tickets: open daily 09:00–18:00 from March to October and 09:00–17:00 from November to February. Adults pay KRW 2,000, teenagers and soldiers KRW 1,000, children KRW 500. Parking for a car costs KRW 1,000.
• Time needed: 30 minutes to an hour is enough for the mounds, the shrine and the well.
• When to go: the lawns and pines look best in soft early-morning or evening light, and it is far quieter than Daereungwon at midday.