Seonjeongneung Royal Tombs

Seonjeongneung is a group of Joseon royal tombs in Samseong-dong, Gangnam, right next to the office towers of Teheran-ro. The name combines Seolleung and Jeongneung, where King Seongjong (the 9th king), his queen Jeonghyeon and their son King Jungjong (the 11th king) are buried. With three mounds it is also called "Samneung Park", and in 2009 it became a UNESCO World Heritage Site as one of the Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty.

History

Seolleung was built for King Seongjong in 1495, and Queen Jeonghyeon's tomb was added on the eastern ridge in 1530. King and queen lie on two separate ridges behind one shrine, a layout known as dongwon igang.

Jeongneung was first built in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, in 1544, but in 1562 Jungjong's queen Munjeong had it moved here. She wanted to be buried beside him, but the site flooded every summer, so in the end she was buried alone at Taereung.

During the Japanese invasion of the 1590s both tombs were dug up and the coffins burned. Only ashes were found in the tombs of Seongjong and Queen Jeonghyeon, and the body found in Jungjong's tomb could never be confirmed as his, so it was buried separately nearby. The tombs today are therefore empty.

What to see

• Seolleung (King Seongjong): the mound is wrapped in carved screen stones, with civil and military officials and stone horses standing in front.
• Queen Jeonghyeon's tomb: only a stone railing surrounds the mound, so it looks different from the king's. Compare the two.
• Jeongneung (King Jungjong): reached by a forest path over a small hill from the queen's tomb.
• T-shaped shrine and red gate: the building where rites were held and the red gate marking the entrance to sacred ground.
• History and Culture Center: an indoor exhibition about the royal tombs and their rites.
• Forest paths: old trees surround the tomb area, and once you follow the paths linking the three tombs the city noise fades away.

Did you know

• Neighbouring Teheran-ro was originally called Samneung-ro, "three tombs road", after the three mounds here.
• The Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty are 40 tombs in 18 locations listed together. Seonjeongneung is mentioned as one where urban development affects the views, but building is controlled so that towers are only visible from near the tops of the mounds.

Tripto tips

• Opening hours: March–October 06:00–21:00, November–January 06:30–17:30, February 06:00–18:00. Closed on Mondays.
• Admission: adults (foreigners 19–64, Koreans 25–64) KRW 1,000, groups of 10 or more KRW 800.
• Getting there: about 450 m from Seolleung Station Exit 10 (Line 2 and Suin–Bundang Line), or about 1 km from Seonjeongneung Station Exit 3 (Line 9 and Suin–Bundang Line).
• Guided tours: indoor talks at the History and Culture Center Tuesday to Sunday at 11:00 and 15:00; schedules may change.
• Time needed: 1 to 1.5 hours for all three tombs. It is close to COEX, so it fits well before or after shopping.