I want to get lost in Nampo-dong. Over and over again.

Dear Circumstances,

Thanks for bringing me to the awareness that you are far beyond control. That words unspoken just fester, and that love learned and lost is still worth holding on to. It feels ten fold to know that unbearable sadness is no longer there, and you have forgiven all that was mistaken.  It makes everything so much better just to talk to you about the semi ordinary life we both lead continents apart.

Sincerely,

britt

In my continuing quest to see every Joseon Dynasty tomb in Korea, I found my way up to Taereung - one of the few within Seoul city proper, and the place where a shiny Royal Tomb Museum can be toured as well.

Opened on December 24, 2009, the Royal Tomb Museum details the procedures of a State Funeral, a large amount of information about how the tombs were constructed, and how they were cared for after construction.



Showing just one stage of the funerary procession, the 바린 (ba-rin) is when the coffin of the deceased king heads to the royal tomb.



A cutaway showing the myriad layers and elements of the tomb itself. A computer animation showed the step-by-step process, with subtitles in both Korean and English - quite helpful.



Some stone replicas of the various civil and military officials from King Taejo's tomb and Taereung.

While the tomb museum is a nice diversion, I came to see the tomb itself. You're already through the gate whether you visit museum or tomb first - that 1,000 won admission fee gets you into both.



The road to the tomb - and a tree-filled area is relaxing. If you work at the nearby Seoul Women's University, this would be a great place for a lunch break in the warmer months.



The 정자각 (jeong-ja-gak) with the tomb in the background.



The tomb of Queen Munjeong itself is off-limits, as usual - heck, even the grass is off-limits, and there's plenty of signs around to remind you of that.

As a relaxing, easy-to-reach place with a brand-spanking-new museum, it's hard to fault it as a tourist destination. Having only a small view of the tomb itself is a little annoying, but that's fairly typical for Joseon Dynasty tombs.

Ratings (out of 5 taeguks): How do I rate destinations?
Ease to arrive:

Foreigner-friendly:

Convenience facilities:

Worth the visit:

Directions: take line 6 of the Seoul subway system to Hwarangdae station. Take exit 1 to street level, then catch bus 202, 1225, 1155, or 1156 to Taereung. If you're listening to the audio announcements on the bus, it'll actually be the second Taereung stop you'll hear - the first one is the Taereung international shooting range.

1,000 won admission gets you in to both the museum and the tomb. Open 9am - 6:30pm (March-October) and 9am - 5:30pm (November-February); ticketing closes an hour before closing time. Closed on Mondays.

© Chris Backe - 2010

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