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Continued from Part 1….

Bonghwangdae Tomb, Gyeongju

5. Neoseo-ri Tombs (너서리왕릉): Once surrounded by houses, the half dozen or so tombs of Noseo-ri have been cleared of buildings and made into oasis-like park in the midst of downtown Gyeongju. Just across the street from Bonghangdae tomb, this park is a great spot for tomb watching, an afternoon picnic or to just relax in the cool of a Summer’s evening. And, just like Bonghangdae, the Noseo-ri tombs are lit up a night. A stroll through here after dark when the leaves are changing in the Fall is positively spooky.

Noseo-ri Tombs, Gyeongju

4. Gwaereung (괘릉): A few miles south of Bulguksa Temple (불국사) about 15 km out of town is Gwaerueng tomb, which makes number 4 on the list for being perhaps the best preserved of the Shilla tombs. The stone fence and 12 animals of the zodiac carved around it’s base are in excellent condition. But, what makes Gweareung really unique are the statues along the promenade leading up to it. There are a two sets of stone lions, a couple of Confucian scholars and even a pair of club wielding Arabian soldiers wearing turbans!

Gwaereung Tomb, Gyeongju

Gwaereung Tomb, Gyeongju

3. Geumcheok-ri Tombs (금척리 고분군): Just off of N.R. 4 on it’s way to Geoncheon is a huge field with about 40 odd Shilla tombs of various sizes, a few of them rivaling the largest tombs of downtown Gyeonju. Yet, for their size, very little is said about these tombs, who they belong to or why they are here. But there remains a curious legend, for which the tombs are named. The founding king of the Shilla Dynasty owned a golden ruler that had the magical power to heal the sick and even bring the dead back to life. In order to hide it from would-be thieves, King Park buried it in a tomb and then proceeded 40 more decoy tombs just like it to throw off the scent. Hence the tombs are called Geumcheok, which means “golden ruler.”

Geumcheok-ri Tombs, Gyeongju

2. Daewangam (문무대왕릉) – King Munmu’s Tomb: It may not look like much more than a cluster of rocks just off the shore in the East Sea, but Daewangam is where King Munmu the Great chose to be buried so his spirit could become a dragon and defend the East Coast from Japanese pirates. Either that, or he didn’t want the government blowing a lot of money or a huge funeral. As the stone chamber in the center of the rocks has never been excavated, historians are still unsure as to if King Munmu’s remains are actually buried here are simply scattered from this site.

King Munmus Tomb, Gyeongju

1. Bonghwangdae Tomb (봉황대): Smack in the middle of Downtown Gyeongju is Bonghwangdae, or Golden Phoenix tomb. Physically the largest of the Shilla tombs in Gyeongju, it’s also visually the most striking as it’s crowned with a ring of ancient, gnarled trees. Although I’ve not found any information on who’s actually buried here, Bonghwangdae is named for the ancient belief that the city of Gyeongju was shaped like a phoenix on the map and this tomb formed the eye. Visiting Bonghwangdae is a quintessential experience in Gyeongju to see it lit up at night is a down right gothic.

Bonghwangdae Tomb, Gyeongju

For your tomb-hunting ease, here’s a map of all of the tombs I’ve listed above.  They all make great cycling or hiking destinations as well as great spots for an afternoon’s picnic.  With so many around town, there are a lot of tombs that didn’t make my personal top 10 that are still well worth checking out, like King Jinpyeong’s Tomb (진평왕릉) in Bomun-dong or Oneung (오릉) Tombs Park on the south side of town.  If you get out around Gyeongju for a bit of tomb hunting, feel free to list your top Shilla tombs in the comments section and let me know what you thought.

View Top 10 Ancient Shilla Tombs of Gyeongju in a larger map