Gyeongju, the Korean city built among royal tombs

It's not unusual for a city to have a large park located right in the center to breathe life into the city. Gyeongju, South Korea, has one. What's absolutely exceptional is that the city was built around it. And that this park, in fact, used to be the royal cemetery.

The traveler is surprised upon arriving in Gyeongju. When they look for the urban core, they find a vast expanse of greenery without a fence, enormous lawns with perfectly rounded bulges several meters high. And no one is climbing its slopes, lying on the sides, or taking selfies on its peaks, as would be usual if this were strictly a leisure area.

What these raised terrain conceals are the tombs of the Silla Dynasty, which ruled the entire western part of the Korean peninsula during the first millennium AD. Members of the royal families were buried in mounds. That is, they were not buried underground, but rather ostentatious tombs were built at ground level, then a wooden dome was created, covered with earth, over which vegetation then grew. In Gyengju Central Park, it's a lawn of British perfection.

The urban core of this Korean city of 280,000 inhabitants is organized around the Silla burial mounds. In other words, it is a medium-sized city—small considering the large conurbations of Seoul and Busan—located in the Gyeongsangbuk-do region, in the eastern half of South Korea, very close to the Sea of ​​Japan.

In addition to the striking aesthetic effect of the two dozen mounds—of varying widths and heights—the royal tombs make Noseo-Dong Park a truly unique place. Families can be seen strolling and relaxing on the gravel paths, flying kites, having picnics, or simply reading. But no one sets foot on any of the artificial hills.

The largest mound is Bonghwangdae, which stands 22 meters high. But the one that provides the best insight into the funerary structure is the one that houses the local museum, reached by a dirt road from the east side of Wolseong-gogwon. An entrance at the base leads to the depths of the funerary structure. There, one can see the stone structures that housed the tombs and the dome of sturdy wooden beams that gives the mound its round shape. In the center are the coffins that had contained the bodies of members of the Silla dynasty. A vertical display case in the museum displays the dazzling crown and complementary gold ornaments from the 5th century.

Read also The necropolis of Philip II, a discovery in the purest Indiana Jones style Carmen Giró

Other smaller jewels, as well as weapons and ceremonial objects, are on display in the museum's main hall. The information panels provide no shortage of details about the plundering of heritage during the Japanese occupation in the first half of the 20th century.

The park is well worth a leisurely stroll. It is surrounded by Anapji Pond and the beautiful Cheomseongdae stone tower, the oldest astronomical observatory in the Far East, which was opened in 632. Every evening it is illuminated with colorful lights, and locals and visitors alike gather at dusk to enjoy sweets while admiring the spectacle.

The rest of Gyeongju isn't known for its architectural value. But just admiring the royal tombs is worth the trip. Furthermore, in the surrounding area, there are interesting Buddhist grottoes, pagodas, and delightful medieval bridges.

How to get there

Gyeongju is 70 kilometers from Busan , the country's second-largest city. The distance takes about 50 minutes by train. The bus takes about an hour and 45 minutes.