Royal Placenta Chamber and Stele of King Myeongjong

About this place

Located atop a hill in Taebonggol Valley, this site is where the placenta of Myeongjong, the 13th king of the Joseon Dynasty, was enshrined. Three commemorative steles stand in front of the royal placenta chamber. The chamber and the stele on the right were erected in 1538 (the 33rd year of King Jungjong's reign), the stele on the left in 1546 (the 1st year of Myeongjong's reign), and the one in the center in 1711 (the 31st year of King Sukjong's reign). The stele on the right was erected simultaneously with the construction of the chamber, while the left stele—a prince's placenta stele—has a capstone carved with a dragon. The center stele, as a royal stele, is mounted on a tortoise pedestal with a dragon-carved capstone.