A Walk Through Space
Walking Next to Ancient Tombs:
Geumgwanchong and the Silla Tomb Information Center
Circle the burial mound on the grass, and your steps naturally lead inside to the exhibition space.
Geumgwanchong and the Silla Tomb Information Center are places that invite you to linger and explore — places that offer a fresh way of experiencing the heritage site.
Written by Lim Youngshin Photography by Park Jinhyeong
Geumgwanchong:
Looking Into the Time Beneath the Burial Mound
Set in the Daereungwon Tomb Complex area bordering Hwangnidangil, Geumgwanchong (the Gold Crown Tomb) is a Silla-era stone-lined wooden chamber tomb that took its name from the gold crown unearthed here in 1921. Its rounded burial mound rises in harmony with the surrounding grass to create a composed and orderly scene. This is a place where the structure of Silla’s stone-lined wooden chamber tombs comes naturally to mind.
Geumgwanchong is a representative example of this tomb construction technique. The burial mound is preserved in place, and cross-section models and explanatory panels in the interior exhibition space help visitors to understand the structure and construction process. The spatial presentation, designed to evoke the actual interior, brings the time layered beneath the burial mound into close proximity. As the route is not long, it is well-suited to take a walk through the Daereungwon Tomb Complex.
During a re-excavation in 2015, a fragment of a scabbard inscribed with the name “Isaji-wang” was discovered, confirming the occupant of Geumgwanchong as King Isaji. As a result, Geumgwanchong is recognized as a rare example of a Silla tomb whose occupant has been positively identified. After completing the visit, the Silla Tomb Information Center is just a short walk away.
Silla Tomb Information Center:
A Place for Reading Silla’s Ancient Tombs
Just a short distance from Geumgwanchong, there is the Silla Tomb Information Center, which opened doors in 2023. The gentle curves of the burial mounds are visible through the full-length lobby windows. The center offers a digital video experience that explores the history of Silla’s ancient tombs and their excavated artifacts, along with a reproduction of the gold crown. A hands-on activity where visitors can design their own gold crown is also available. When you step back outside past the burial mound, you will have a new way of seeing from the exhibition. The rounded burial mound is no longer simply a scenic feature; it is a trace of time. Rest for a while somewhere near Daereungwon Tomb Complex, and the image of the ancient tomb you have just passed will naturally come to mind. The lingering sense of ancient time and present-day life intertwining is what this walk leaves behind.
Location: 91 Noseo-dong, Gyeongju-si Hours: 09:00–18:00 Inquiries: +82-54-750-8670 ※ No pets permitted
