Royal Tomb of King Heondeok, Gyeongju

About this place

This is the tomb of Silla's 41st king, King Heondeok (r. 809–826), located on the bank of Bukcheon Stream in Gyeongju. King Heondeok's personal name was Kim Eonseung; he became king by killing his nephew King Aejang. During his reign he promoted agriculture and maintained close relations with Tang China, but domestic affairs were turbulent with the uprisings of Kim Heonchang and Kim Beommun. According to the Samguk Sagi (History of the Three Kingdoms), when the king died in 826, he was buried north of Cheonrimsa Temple. The exact location of Cheonrimsa is unknown, but a temple site to the south of this tomb is believed to be it. This tomb is a circular earthen mound 26 m in diameter and 6 m tall. Protective stones (hoesseok) are arranged around the base of the mound: first a single-tier base stone, then upright face stones (myeonsseok), with pillar-like stones (tansseok) fitted between the face stones for reinforcement. The tansseok are carved with the twelve zodiac guardian figures at every two-stone interval — representing the four directions — but currently only five of the twelve survive: pig (hae), rat (ja), ox (chuk), tiger (in), and rabbit (myo). Stone pillars with a balustrade were erected outside the protective stones, and the ground between them was paved with stone. The current appearance was restored in the 1970s, with some of the protective stones and stone balustrade newly made. (Source: National Heritage Administration)