Uireung Royal Tomb
의릉
The former KCIA auditorium still stands inside the tomb walls. The July 4th North-South Joint Statement was announced in that building, so a Joseon royal tomb and twentieth-century political history share one precinct.
Language
Place information
- Korean name
- 의릉
- Address
- 146-20 Hwarang-ro 32-gil, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul
- Opening hours
- Feb–May, Sep–Oct 09:00–18:00 (last entry 17:00) Jun–Aug 09:00–18:30 (last entry 17:30) Jan, Nov–Dec 09:00–17:30 (last entry 16:30)
- Closed
- Every Mon (open if it falls on a public holiday; closed the next weekday instead)
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Admission
- ₩1,000
- Operated by
- Royal Palaces and Tombs Centre
Prices
| Adult(domestic visitors 25-64, foreign visitors 19-64) | ₩1,000 |
|---|---|
| Admission(Korean nationals aged 24 and under or 65 and over (photo ID required)) | Free |
| Admission(foreign visitors aged 18 and under or 65 and over) | Free |
| Admission(visitors wearing hanbok, including modernised hanbok) | Free |
| the last Wednesday of each month, Culture Day | Free |
| Group(groups of ten or more) | ₩800 |
Source: Royal Palaces and Tombs Centre — royal tomb admission ·
What to see
History and Culture Hall
Uireung's history and culture hall opened in 2023. Its displays cover the people buried here and their history, the story of the stone tiger of Seokgwan-dong, and a hands-on section of model tomb statuary alongside the royal tombs as a World Heritage site.
궁능유적본부 (royal.khs.go.kr, KOGL Type 1)
Uireung — King Gyeongjong’s tomb
Uireung holds Gyeongjong, the 20th king of Joseon, and his second queen Seonui of the Eo clan. It takes the stacked form, the king's and queen's mounds raised one above the other on the same hill: seen from in front of the shrine, the upper mound is the king's and the lower the queen's. Its military stone figures are distinctive for the leopard skin worn under the armour, and on the king's mound that skin is carved right down to the curled tail.
궁능유적본부 (royal.khs.go.kr, KOGL Type 1)
Uireung — Queen Seonui’s tomb
Uireung holds Gyeongjong, the 20th king of Joseon, and his second queen Seonui of the Eo clan. It takes the stacked form, the king's and queen's mounds raised one above the other on the same hill: seen from in front of the shrine, the upper mound is the king's and the lower the queen's. Its military stone figures are distinctive for the leopard skin worn under the armour, and the stone tigers on the queen's mound are carved with their tails curling up over their backs, unlike those at other royal tombs.
궁능유적본부 (royal.khs.go.kr, KOGL Type 1)
Former KCIA Auditorium
The auditorium used by the Korean Central Intelligence Agency from 1962 to 1995. It is where the July 4th North-South Joint Statement was announced in 1972 — the first agreement on reunification the two Koreas had reached since the division.
궁능유적본부 (royal.khs.go.kr, KOGL Type 1)
History and Culture Hall selected
Nearby
Grand Peace Palace, Kyung Hee University
The large concert hall on Kyung Hee University's Seoul campus, its Gothic exterior a landmark in its own right. Being a university building, it runs on the academic calendar as well as the concert one.
Hongneung Galbijip
A grilled rib house in the Hongneung quarter, its marinated beef ribs seasoned with some twenty ingredients.
Dream Forest
A green park opened in 2009 on the 660,000-square-metre site of the former Dreamland amusement park. Two wooded hills enclose it, and the observatory and arts centre by the west gate carry performances and exhibitions.
Hwajung Gymnasium, Korea University
The indoor hall on Korea University's Anam campus, hired out for concerts and fan events between university fixtures. It sits well inside the campus, a good walk from the main gate.
Stories about this place
- The Five Joseon Royal Tombs in Seoul, Compared by What Survives at Each
All five Joseon royal tombs inside Seoul, compared on what only that one has, when it opens and where it is. Admission and the closing day are identical at all five, so where you go is decided by what survives at each rather than by cost.
Nearby Food
- Five Seoul Korean Barbecue Restaurants: Hanwoo, Galbi, Bulgogi and Pork Belly
- What the broth is made of — eight Seoul houses, seven different bases
- Northern Korean Food in Seoul: Naengmyeon, Eobok-jaengban, Mandu and Kongbiji
- Seven Seoul houses that open for breakfast — before eight in the morning
- Six Seoul houses that make the noodle by hand — kalguksu, guksi, sujebi
- Enjoying Seoul's Cafe Culture
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