Tomb of King Tongmyong
Situated in a scenic, pine-forested valley in Ryongsan-ri, Ryokpo District, Pyongyang, the Tomb of King Tongmyong is one of the most revered ancient royal mausoleums in Korea. Inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site within the Complex of Koguryo Tombs, the mausoleum contains the sacred burial mound of King Tongmyong (Jumong), the legendary founder of the ancient Goguryeo Kingdom (58 BCE – 668 CE). Originally constructed in Jolbon and relocated to the new Goguryeo capital of Pyongyang in 427 CE during the reign of King Jangsu, the mausoleum complex encompasses 63 individual ancient tombs, the restored Chongrungsa Buddhist Temple, stone warrior guardians, and vibrant lotus wall paintings inside the stone burial vault. Shrouded in ancient royal mythology, local legends tell of phantom warrior guardians patrolling the pine groves, glowing ancestral light orbs floating above the burial mound, and the ghostly sound of celestial horse hooves echoing at dawn.