Ancient Tombs in Songsan-ri

The seven royal burial mounds of Songsan-ri in Gongju date from the Ungjin period (427–538 CE) of the Korean Baekje kingdom and were inscribed as part of the Baekje Historic Areas UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2015. The most significant is the tomb of King Muryeong, discovered accidentally in 1971 — the only royal Baekje tomb found completely intact and positively identified through inscribed epitaph stones. The excavation yielded thousands of grave goods including gilded bronze ornaments and Chinese coins, finally giving historians a reliable chronological anchor for Baekje culture. The grass-covered mounds now sit within a landscaped park, with a pavilion displaying chamber replicas and original artifacts; the actual tomb chambers remain sealed to preserve them.