Heolleung and Illeung

Heolleung and Illeung (Heoninneung) are Joseon royal tombs in Naegok-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul; the name combines Heolleung, the tomb of King Taejong and Queen Wongyeong, and Illeung, the tomb of King Sunjo and Queen Sunwon. The Korea Tourism Organization describes Heolleung as a twin tomb with two mounds side by side within one curved wall, and Illeung as a joint tomb where the king and queen share one mound. Admission is ₩1,000 per person or ₩800 for groups, and it is closed every Monday. Hours vary by season, and entry closes one hour before closing. Parking is free, and credit cards are accepted. The commentary covers how Taejong became king, the stone sculptures guarding the tombs, and the in-law government (sedo politics) of King Sunjo's reign.

According to the Korea Tourism Organization, Heolleung is the tomb of Taejong, the third king of Joseon, and Queen Wongyeong of the Min clan. It is a twin tomb with two mounds placed side by side within one curved wall; seen from the front, the left mound is Taejong's and the right is Queen Wongyeong's. Queen Wongyeong died first in 1420 and her tomb was built here, when Taejong also prepared his own burial site in advance. Two years later Taejong died and his tomb was built to the west of the queen's, giving it its present form.

Illeung is the tomb of Sunjo, the 23rd king, and Queen Sunwon. It is a joint tomb where the king and queen share one mound; seen from the front, Sunjo is on the left and Queen Sunwon on the right. Sunjo was first buried near Jangneung in Paju but was moved here in 1856 because the site was considered inauspicious by geomancy. The new site was where King Sejong's former tomb Yeongneung had been, and the royal protocols (uigwe) record that the buried stone sculptures of the old Yeongneung and of Huireung were dug up, reworked and reused.

The Korea Tourism Organization says each burial mound is surrounded by folding-screen stones and stone railings, carved with the twelve zodiac deities and vajra and vajra-bell patterns. The commentary says there are sixteen stone sculptures within the curved wall, and that those at Taejong's tomb all face outward, never relaxing their guard. One reading holds that the four stone tigers behind the tomb symbolize the bodyguards of Taejong, who firmly established royal power in the unstable early years of the dynasty.

The stele pavilion holds the stele erected after Taejong's death together with one re-erected in 1695 after the original was damaged. Below the burial mound, the stele pavilion of Illeung has two marker stones, one erected in the Joseon period and the other during the Korean Empire.

The commentary says Taejong (Yi Bang-won) became the third king after the First Strife of Princes, in which he eliminated Jeong Do-jeon's faction, and the Second Strife of Princes, in which he faced his brother Yi Bang-gan. After taking the throne he set up an administrative system, reorganized administrative districts and had the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty compiled, laying the foundation for how Joseon was run afterward. Queen Wongyeong helped Taejong to the throne, but they grew apart when her brothers were exiled and executed as he checked the power of the queen's family. Parts of the commentary are dramatized with dialogue, so separate them from historical fact as you listen.

The Illeung commentary says Sunjo became king at ten and struggled under the in-law government of the Andong Kim clan. It also notes that floods struck in 19 of the 34 years of his reign. Queen Sunwon came from the leading family of the in-law government; as Grand Queen Dowager she adopted the "Ganghwa Doryeong" and placed him on the throne as King Cheoljong. This is the commentary's interpretation, so read it alongside academic views.

Other royal tombs in Seoul continue in our Seonjeongneung Royal Tombs guide, the royal shrine in our Jongmyo guide, and your whole Seoul itinerary in our Seoul guide.

Check before you visit

• Check the Monday closing and the public-holiday rule.
• Plan your arrival around the seasonal last-entry time.
• Note that the trail is open from March to November and Course 2 is closed.
• Opening hours of the jaesil (ritual house) vary by season, so check on site.

Good for:

• Walks: the open trail is about 0.5 km.
• History lovers: the commentary covers the politics of two eras, Taejong and Sunjo.
• Stone sculptures: see the sculptures arranged in pairs up close.
• Arriving by car: parking is available and free.