Majestic Seobongchong Tomb
in Gyeongju City

A gold cup belonging to the Silla Kingdom (5th-6th century) at the National Museum of Korea

Seobongchong Tomb in Gyeongju City

Seobongchong Tomb is the burial place where excavators unearthed a gold crown embellished with three phoenixes. This gold crown is one of the six gold crowns believed to be from the Silla Kingdom (57 BC-AD 668).

Seobongchong Tomb lies in Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbukdo (province), in 1926. Know that Gyeongju was the former capital of Silla Kingdom, where many royals have lived and been buried.

As you can see below this page, many other royal tombs are being described; most of them are located in Gyeongju City.

Okay... let me continue...

Including the gold crown discovered in Seobongchong Tomb in Gyeongju City, the other five gold crowns were thought to have been created between the 5th and early 6th centuries.

What is interesting about them is that only the Seobongchong Tomb's gold crown has phoenix ornaments. Is this difference significant?

Or, is it only a matter of material available at that time? Any other relevant status and royal-relation explanations?

Anyhow, they discovered that the golden thread utilized to make the crown had various production dates. Most of the thread used to tighten the beads embellishing the round plate edge of the crown was made of 17-karat gold.

The crown is made up of 374 components, consisting of 320 pieces of gold. Plates, nails, and threads are made from gold, too, while curved beads are made from jade or glass.

The discovery of Seobongchong gold crown occurred in a very unlikely situation...

Gold crown excavated from one of the tombs in Gyeongju City

At the time, the Swedish Crown Prince Gustav Adolf the Sixth was traveling to Korea during his honeymoon.

It was he who found the golden belt at the excavation site. Since that time the tomb has been called the Seobongchong Tomb (서봉총, 瑞鳳塚), integrating the words 'seo' for "Sweden" (스웨덴, 瑞典), and 'bong' for, "phoenix" (봉황, 鳳凰).

These artifacts found in the Seobongchong Burial place are now on exhibition at the National Museum of Korea in Seoul.

The artifacts excavated from Seobongchong Tomb in Gyeonju City, aside from the gold crown with three phoenix ornaments, include the golden belt with pendants and ornaments, gold earrings, and a silver bowl.

The silver bowl has engravings on it. The engravings suggested some ideas as to the timeline of its production.

In addition, the excavators also found two glass bowls, which are believed to be Western origins. The glass bowls design and composition seem to be from Europe or Persia that could have entered Korea through the famous Silk Road.

The museum's "New Scientific Revelations About the Gold Crown From the Seobongchong Tomb" exhibit reveals a further reality of its creation.

It was eventually mended and provided more details after years of scientific analysis.

Now, I guess you may visit two places when you come to Korea: Seobongchong Tomb in Gyeongju City and the National Museum of Korea in its capital, Seoul!

Thanks for reading this article, and I hope it helps!
Enjoy your travels!

Getting to Gyeongju City

Cheomsongdae in Gyeongju City is an ancient astronomical observatory

To get from Seoul to Gyeongju, you have a few options:

1. By KTX Train (Recommended): The super-fast KTX train covers the distance in about 2 hours. It arrives at the new train station outside the city (Singyeongju). From there, take a bus to the center of Gyeongju, which takes around 15 minutes through the green mountains.
2. By Express Bus: The express bus journey takes approximately 3.5 hours. The bus goes directly to downtown Gyeongju, where most of the attractions are located. You’ll also get to experience a rest stop in Korea during the journey. Starting point: Seoul Express Bus Terminal.
3. By Regular Train: Regular trains take about 3 hours to reach Gyeongju. While slightly longer than the KTX train, it’s still a convenient option.
4. See here the most descriptive travel guide page for Gyeongju City, Gyeongsangbukdo (Province).

Please check the current schedules and availability of transportation for the most accurate information.

Enjoy your visit to this fascinating and historic city! 🚄🚌🌟

Where to Stay in Gyeongju City?

Gyeongju the Terrace Hotel [by Agoda.com]

Gyeongju in South Korea is your perfect destination!

Explore the Tumuli Gongwon, an enchanting park with 23 grassy hillocks hiding the royal tombs of the Silla Dynasty.

Be sure not to miss the Cherry Blossom Festival, where hundreds of cherry trees create magical archways around Bomun Lake. These archways provide the perfect backdrop for live music, sunsets, and DIY picnics.

Remember to check out the Poseokjeong Pavilion, where you can relive an ancient royal drinking game at a unique stone water feature.

This city has so much to offer, and to fully experience it all, consider staying at one of the many fantastic hotels in the area. Unwind in comfort after a day of exploration!

Book or reserve your room now! Click the link below to find out more. Your hotel options...

• Gyeongju The Terrace Hotel
• Hilton Gyeongju
• Kensington Resort Gyeongju
• Lahan Select Gyeongju
• The K Hotel Gyeongju

More affordable accommodations options...

• Mirim Motel Gyeongju
• Gyeongju Bolgooksa W Drive-in Motel
• Gyeongju Hara Motel
• Hansol Motel Gyeongju City

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