Yeongneung Royal Tomb of King Sejong

In Yeoju lies Yeongneung, the tomb of King Sejong the Great, creator of the Korean alphabet, and his wife Queen Soheon. It was the first Joseon royal tomb where a king and queen were buried together under one mound, and the same grounds also hold the tomb of King Hyojong and Queen Inseon. A path through pine woods links the two, a calm way to experience the Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

History: a tomb moved from Seoul to Yeoju

Yeongneung was first built in 1446 within the Heolleung tomb grounds in today's Seocho-gu, Seoul, when Queen Soheon died, and King Sejong was laid beside her in 1450. Debate over the site's poor feng shui went on for years, and in 1469 the tomb was moved to Yeoju. The old stone figures were buried at the original site and new ones carved here. The grounds were restored in the 1970s, and since 2017 a major conservation project has reopened the areas in stages.

What to see

• Sejong's burial mound: because two people rest under one mound, there are two spirit stones in front. A stone railing surrounds the mound, and its twelve posts are inscribed with the characters of the twelve zodiac signs. Seen from the front, Sejong lies on the left, the queen on the right.
• Stone guardians: an octagonal lantern with civil and military officials, horses, tigers and sheep carved in stone.
• Red gate and T-shaped shrine: the ritual area. The red spiked gate is out of line, so the processional path bends; foundation stones of the original gate remain.
• King Sejong History and Culture Museum: exhibitions on Sejong's life and achievements. Outside are replicas of scientific instruments such as a sundial, a rain gauge and an armillary sphere.
• Hyojong's tomb and the ritual house: the first tomb where king and queen lie on the same ridge one above the other. The ritual house at its entrance is considered the best preserved of all royal tomb ritual houses.

Good to know

• Every year around Sejong's birthday on 15 May a memorial rite is held at the shrine, and there are many events around Hangeul Day on 9 October.
• The forest path between the tombs connects to the Sejong-Hyojong Trail named after the two kings.
• Hyojong's tomb was first built at Donggureung in Guri, but constant repairs to its stonework led to its move here in 1673. When the tomb was opened for the move, no trace of water damage was found.

Nearby

• Silleuksa Temple: a historic temple on the Namhangang River, a short drive away.
• Birthplace of Empress Myeongseong: on the Yeoju town side, easy to add on the same day.

Tripto tips

• Opening hours: Feb–May and Sep–Oct 09:00–18:00, Jun–Aug 09:00–18:30, Nov–Jan 09:00–17:30, last entry one hour before closing. Closed Mondays (if Monday is a public holiday, closed the next weekday instead).
• Admission: KRW 500 for adults according to the 2026 listing; free for visitors aged 24 and under or 65 and over. Parking is free.
• Getting there: Sejong Daewangneung Station on the Gyeonggang Line is within walking distance. A Yeoju tourist circular bus also runs; check its timetable.
• Time needed: about 2 hours for both tombs and the museum. Guided commentary in Korean can be booked by phone through the Yeoju tourist information centre.