Daereungwon Tomb Complex

The Daereungwon Tomb Complex is located in Gyeongju, South Korea, which was the historical capital of the ancient Silla Kingdom. The park features large, grass-covered earthen mounds called tumuli, which house the wooden burial chambers of kings and nobility. It serves as a major archaeological and tourist destination in the modern city.

The complex contains the royal tombs of the rulers and high-ranking nobility of the Silla Kingdom, which lasted for nearly a thousand years. One of the most famous mounds is the Cheonmachong, or Heavenly Horse Tomb, which yielded incredible artifacts upon excavation. These tombs date back to the Silla period, specifically between the 5th and 6th centuries.

The Cheonmachong tomb is famous for the discovery of a birch bark saddle flap painted with a flying horse, which gave the tomb its modern name. Archaeologists also uncovered a magnificent gold crown, jewelry, and weapons when it was excavated in the 1970s. Today, visitors can actually enter a reconstructed portion of the tomb to view replicas of these treasures.

Most of the 23 tombs in the Daereungwon complex are strictly grassy mounds that cannot be entered. However, Cheonmachong has been converted into a modern museum exhibit where visitors can walk inside to see what the burial chamber looked like. The rest of the complex functions as a large, scenic park for walking and viewing the exteriors.