page_title: Tourism in Gyeongju
section_title: Tombs
hierarchical_section_title: Tourism in Gyeongju / Silla remains / Tombs
caption_attribution_description: Tumuli Park, in downtown Gyeongju. More photos at http://ianandwendy.com/korea/gyeongju
context_page_description: Tourism in Gyeongju is a major industry and defining feature of Gyeongju, South Korea. Gyeongju is a major cultural site and tourist destination for South Koreans and foreigners with about 8 to 9 million visitors annually. A great deal of this is due to the city's status as a center of Silla heritage, derived from its former role as the capital of that ancient kingdom.
context_section_description: The tombs of the rulers of Silla are all located within the boundaries of Gyeongju. The identity of the ruler is known in many cases, particularly for the later rulers. However, many of the older tombs found in the Royal Tombs Complex cannot be conclusively tied to any ruler. Partly for this reason, many of the tombs are known by the names of notable artifacts excavated there. One example of this is the Heavenly Horse Tomb, where a mudflap bearing a celestial horse motif was found.
  Not all of the Silla-era tombs are royal. The tomb of the general Kim Yu-sin is located on one of the low mountains surrounding Gyeongju Basin.
  A notable tomb outside the usual historical precincts of Gyeongju is that of King Munmu, d. 681, who was buried at sea just off the coast of Yangbuk-myeon. Munmu, the first king of Unified Silla, instructed that he should be buried there so that he could become a dragon and protect the Silla coastline.
caption: Tumuli Park, in the center of town, and its Burial Mounds
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