Deareungwon, A serene park brimming with ancient royal tombs

Hwangnam-dong, Gyeongju-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea

Graves of all sizes

3.7

Introduction

There are many ancient tombs in the center of Gyeongju City, but most of them are not well-preserved and have been transformed into public parks and no longer protected. The protected tombs are designated as fee-charging areas, such as Daereungwon, which has 23 ancient tombs. These tombs resemble grass-covered mounds that look like camel humps from a distance. They do not appear eerie or terrifying, but rather give a vibrant feeling. Tomb No. 155, also known as Cheonmachong, discovered in 1973, is a unique stone-cum-wood coffin tomb from the Silla period. It stands 12.7 meters high and 50 meters deep, with a stone mound constructed from piled stones. Inside the mound is a chamber measuring 6.5 meters long, 4.2 meters wide, and 2.1 meters high, made of wooden logs, with a central wooden column obscuring the view. Over 11,526 artifacts have been excavated here, including the priceless Cheonmachong mural, which is the first of its kind found in a tomb in Korea.