Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty Historical Site

The Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty are a group of royal burial sites across South Korea containing the tombs of Joseon kings and their immediate families. The collection demonstrates funerary architecture and landscaping practices tied to Confucian ritual and geomancy.

Tombs are typically set within wooded hillsides or enclosed precincts and include earthen mounds, stone ritual pathways and small ceremonial buildings. Several larger clusters are accessible to visitors and present well-preserved examples of Joseon-period funerary layout and ritual space.

The tombs were constructed over several centuries during the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) as the royal lineage established burial sites following Confucian rites and principles of geomantic siting. They were maintained by successive royal administrations and later preserved as historic sites.

The tombs are spread across multiple provinces, with several notable clusters near Seoul and others in the central and eastern parts of the Korean peninsula; they are set within rural and wooded landscapes appropriate to their ritual siting.

• Number of tombs and sites: The property comprises 40 royal tombs located at 18 sites across the Korean peninsula, designed according to Confucian ritual principles and geomantic siting.

What to See#

• Donggureung cluster: Donggureung - a large cluster of royal tombs located east of Seoul that contains multiple Joseon kings and queens in a wooded hillside setting.
• Seonjeongneung: Seonjeongneung - a compact royal tomb cluster located within Seoul that combines royal burial mounds with a preserved shrine area.

The various Joseon royal tomb clusters are outside Seoul and in surrounding provinces. Major clusters (e.g., Seolleung and Jeongneung) are reachable by Seoul Metro (Seolleung Station on Line 2/ Bundang Line). Other tombs require regional buses or car from cities like Suwon or Chuncheon; check the specific tomb cluster before travel.

• Respect signage and barriers: many tombs are still treated as sacred and some rites continue at the sites.
• Hire a guide familiar with Joseon court funerary rites to explain the sculptures (spirit guards, stone animals) and the alignment of mounds.
• Wear layers-mountain sites can be cool even in summer and winter winds bite on exposed mounds.