Seooreung Royal Tombs & Pretty Cafes Just West of Seoul

There is quite a bit to see and do when you head up to the northwest of Seoul to Goyang. Heading out to see flowers at First Garden or drink coffee at a greenhouse cafe, I saw this park and knew I needed to make time to actually take a wander there at some point. I love wandering through parks and breathing in the fresh air. One of those parks is the Seooreung Royal Tombs (고양 서오릉).

If you’re looking for things to do in Goyang, or something to do near Eunpyeong-gu in the west of Seoul, check out this quiet area. It’s a beautiful place to take a walk with some great cafes and restaurants nearby and you can visit the royal tombs of Seoul and learn about the past.

Plan a trip to see the royal tombs of Seoul:

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How To Get There

Address: 334-32 Seooreung-ro, Deogyang-gu, Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do (경기 고양시 덕양구 서오릉로 334-32)

By Public Transportation: Head to Nokbeon Subway Station and take exit 4. Find the nearest bus stop and catch bus 702 headed to the Seooreung Royal Tombs.

Basic Info

Admission: Adults: W1,000; Children: W500; FREE entrance for everyone on the last Wednesday of the month.

Hours: February ~ May: 6:00am – 6:00pm; June ~ August: 6:30am – 6:30pm; November ~ January: 6:30am – 5:30pm

Amenities: parking, bathrooms, wheelchair rental

What To Know

Not to be confused with Seolleung in southeastern Seoul near Gangnam, Seooreung is in the northwest just outside of Seoul in Goyang. Both are similar in that they have tombs of royal leaders to visit, but after that every other thing is pretty dissimilar.

Seooreung, meaning “The Five Tomb Sites of the Joseon Royal Family”, is the second largest royal burial site of the Joseon Dynasty just after Donggureung. The Joseon Dynasty was the last royal dynasty of Korea and the longest reigning from 1392 to 1910. In total, there are 40 neung tombs and 14 won tombs for the royal Yi dynasty which ruled of Joseon.

This is actually a pretty cool thing to do with kids in Seoul. There is outdoor time and educational opportunities so take advantage if you’re a family living here in the city.

A little Korean vocabulary lesson:

Burial mounds of kings and queens are referred to as reung or neung (능, 陵)
Burial mounds of a king’s parents, crown princes and princesses are called won (원, 園)

Thus, based on the name, Seooreung, you should have a pretty good idea of the status of people buried within. This park is pretty immense in size. You could easily spend an hour just walking the paths visiting each of the tombs and reading the sign posts. If you wanted to see ALL of the tombs, from entrance to exit, you’d probably need an hour and a half to two hours depending on how much you want to meander and stroll under the shade of the tall tall trees.

Who is buried at Seooreung

Gyeongneung: The tomb of rulers King Deokjong and Queen Sohye.
Changneung: The tomb of King Yejong and Queen Ansun.
Hongneung: The tomb of Queen Jeongseong, a consort to King Yeongjo.
Ingneung: The tomb of Queen Ingyeong, a consort to King Sukjong.
Myeongneung: The tomb of King Sukjong and his two wives, Queen Inhyeon and Queen Inwon.
Sunchangwon: The tombs of Crown Prince Sunhoe and Crown Princess Gonghoebin.
Sugyeongwon: The tomb of King Yeongjo’s concubine, Yeongbin.
Daebinmyo: The tomb of Janghuibin, King Sukjong’s concubine and the mother of King Gyeongjong.

What To See

Walking from tomb to tomb and reading the placards in front of each left me picturing a sort of Korean Game of Thrones. Queens here and consorts there. Concubines who won a king’s heart and princes who never made it to the throne. When the Korean Game of Thrones is made, this site will be a big hit with visitors.

Queen Janghuibin, for example, was a court lady who stole the heart of King Sukjong. She became the king’s concubine and finally took her seat and title as Queen only to then be downgraded and to lose her rank. Later, she was sentenced to death by poison. Her burial site was moved twice and then she was given back her title by her son who became King. If that isn’t straight out of Game of Thrones, I don’t know what is.

When approaching the tombs, do be aware that the central raised pathway is the sindo and is only for the spirits of the ancestors to walk upon. Visitors should not walk along this path, though whenever we visit, I often note Korean locals walking along the path so it’s not like you’ll get in trouble if you do tread on the stones in the center. Still, I think it’s important to know and respect the traditions. Trails connect all of the tombs and maps at points in the road direct visitors. The paths are easy to walk upon and around 350,000 people visit each year.

The Royal Tombs are a great spot to visit because not only is there more than 3 kilometers of walking paths with a dash of historical and culture education too, the walls of the park are lined with cafes and restaurants. It’s a great place to spend a few hours.

Want to visit a beautiful spot when it snows in Seoul? The pine forest draped in snowy flurries is gorgeous and the snow day we went we were met with only a couple other people wandering around. It’s now our must visit when the snow begins to fall. Don’t miss this gorgeous spot in the winter.

Cafes Nearby

Gyeongseong Bread Factory, Goyang, Korea

Gyeongseong Bread Factory (경성빵공장)

This bread factory and cafe is one of our go-to spots as of late. There is plenty of space with a downstairs, upstairs and a veranda to sit outside as well. The bready delights are delicious and the coffee drinks good too. Start here and then walk down to the entrance and get your tickets to enjoy the tombs.

Address: 406-20 Seooreung-ro, Deokyang-gu, Goyang-si, Seoul (경기 고양시 덕양구 서오릉로 406-20)
Hours: Every day: 10:00am ~ 10:00pm

Cafe Sanchaek (카페산책)

After a good walk, you’ll likely need another snack or something more filling. There are plenty of restaurants in the area that serve up soups and stews, but a good spot for a healthy yogurt snack if that’s what you’re looking for is Cafe Sanchaek. Order downstairs, but make sure to go upstairs to get the good seats. The second floor has a floor to ceiling window that has gorgeous views of the park and the decor is really chic up there too.

Address: 334-97 Seooreung-ro, Deokyang-gu, Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do (경기도 고양시 덕양구 서오릉로 334-97)
Hours: Every day: 9:00am ~ 10:00pm

What To See Nearby

Suguksa Temple, Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul, Korea

Suguksa Temple (수국사)

Just up the road is the guardian temple of the Seooreung Royal Tombs. It’s a must see and not necessarily because it’s the guardian temple but because it’s the only golden temple in Korea. It’s gorgeous and so special to see. It shimmers and shines in the sunlight throughout the year. It’s easy to visit along with the royal tombs just up the road. Here’s more information about the Suguksa Temple.

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