Key takeaways
Taereung holds Queen Munjeong, second queen consort of King Jungjong, Joseon's 11th king; about a kilometer east of Taereung, Gangneung holds King Myeongjong, the 13th king, buried together with his queen, Queen Insun. Fact The name Gongneung-dong was constructed by combining the character "gong" from the old natural village name Gongdeok-ri with the character "neung" (陵, "royal tomb") from Taereung. Fact
What to look for on site
- The layout of the royal tombs at Taereung and Gangneung, in the traditional Joseon royal-tomb style
- The combination of two place names embedded in the constructed word "Gongneung"
- How a royal tomb came to define an entire area's identity
Editorial note
Taereung and Gangneung are part of the UNESCO World Heritage site "Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty" — follow cultural-heritage protection rules when visiting.