Renewal:2017-05-04 13:00:20

Bonghwangdae 봉황대(경주)

  • +82-42-481-4650
  • gyeongju.go.kr
261, Nodong-dong, Gyeongju-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do (경북 경주시 노동동 261)

Bonghwangdae is an ancient tomb of Silla located in the tomb cluster of Nodong-dong. The tomb is an impressive 82 meters in diameter and 22 meters in x_height, making it look more like a hill than a tomb due to its humongous size. Though said to be the tomb of a king, this has not been verified since the tomb has never been excavated.

The name “Bonghwang” (meaning “phoenix”) comes from the legend of Wanggeon and the geomancer. Wanggeon was waiting for the fall of the Silla Kingdom and decided to seek the help of a geomancer. The geomancer said that the kingdom of Silla was shaped like a ship and that this “ship” must sink in order for the kingdom to fall. After promising Wanggeon that he could sink the ship of Silla, the geomancer sought an audience with the king of Silla.

The geomancer told the king that the land of Silla resembled the shape of the Bonghwang (phoenix) and that the bird was about to fly away, which would bring about the ruin of the kingdom. The king, who had been worrying about domestic affairs, believed the geomancer and asked him for a solution. The geomancer told the king that if he made a hill that looked like an egg at the capital city, the “bird” wouldn’t fly away, but would stay to protect her egg and the kingdom. As a result, the king made of lot of ancient tombs, one of which was the sizable Bonghwangdae Tomb.

Legend has it that Silla truly was shaped like a ship, not a phoenix, and all these tombs symbolized the “overloading” of the ship, leading to the eventual ruin of the kingdom. After the fall of Silla, Wanggeon rose to power and later became the founder of the Goryeo Dynasty.

Utilization information

・Information : • 1330 Travel Hotline: +82-2-1330
(Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese)
• For more info: +82-54-772-3843

Review(0)

Nearby information


intro Access Review

Nearby information

Kisoya - Gyeongju Branch

Gyeongsangbuk-do >

‘Kiso’ refers to the area located in the Gifu Prefecture in Japan where wheat and buckwheat are produced. Kisoya is a Japanese franchise restaurant established in 1988 that specialized in Udon and Donkatsu (pork cutlet). The restaurant only uses wheat and buckwheat produced in Kiso for i

76m

Pyeongyang Naengmyeon Gyeongju Branch

Gyeongsangbuk-do >

The restaurant of Pyeongyang Naengmyeon (평양냉면, cold noodles) has been around for 65 years and thus is very famous in Gyeongju. Its noodles are hand-made from starch of Korea-grown buckwheat and potato and broth is made by deeply boiling beef bones. So, noodles are chewy and broth tastes rich

238m

Hwangnam Bread

Gyeongsangbuk-do >

Hwangnam-style bread was first made by Choi Yeong-hwa in Hwangnam-dong, Gyeongju, in 1939. The Gyeongju Choi family has a rich history of baking and rice cakes with red bean, and has passed on the secrets of their trade from generation to generation. When it came time for Choi Yeong-hwa to learn the

273m

Sukyoung Sikdang

Gyeongsangbuk-do >

Housed in an old hanok (traditional Korean house) Sukyoung Sikdang (숙영식당) is a restaurant famous for its glutinous barley rice meal. Various kinds of grains are mixed with glutinous barley rice to make a sticky and savory rice dish complete with seven different kinds of wild greens. For an e

338m

Toobbul Korean BBQ

Gyeongsangbuk-do >

Located in downtown Gyeongju, Toobbul Korean BBQ serves only the best quality hanu (Korean beef). Hanu is regarded as a delicacy because of its expensive price and premium quality. Toobbul offers a lunch hour special where diners can get the same quality of hanu at 35% cheaper th

825m

Yosokkoong

Gyeongsangbuk-do >

Named after Silla King Muyeol's daughter, Princess Yoseok, Yosokkoong serves traditional Korean food. The resturant is run by the Choi family, who settled on the site of Princess Yoseok's house in the Joseon Dynasty, and has passed on the restaurant and family recipes through 12 generations.

1339m

Daegwallyeong Pollack Stew - Gyeongju Branch

Gyeongsangbuk-do >

This restaurant boasts the typical rustic look of a hwangto building, exemplifying the beauties of the past with traditional folk dishes. At night, customers can hear the soft melodies of live music.

1760m

Myeongdong Kalguksu (명동칼국수)

Gyeongsangbuk-do >

Boasting 30 years of tradition, the Gyeongju chain restaurant of the original Seoul Myeongdong Kalguksu serves top-grade food made with the freshest ingredients. The Myeongdong Kalguksu Gyeongju restaurant has been open for two and a half years, and has already become recognized as one of the best r

2413m

Gyeongju Jungang Market

Gyeongsangbuk-do >

Opened in 1983 as an official market, Gyeongju Jungang Market has almost a hundred years of history. Nearly 700 stores selling clothing, oils, rice cakes, vegetables, general goods, and meat operate with nerly 2,000 workers. The market is held every fifth day, on 2nd and 7th day of each month.

501m

Gyeongju Seongdong Market

Gyeongsangbuk-do >

Seongdong Market, situated in Gyeongju-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do, opened in 1971 and is comprised of around 300 stores and 30 street vendors. The market is on the opposite side of Gyeongju Station to the east.

736m

Geumgwanchong Tomb

Gyeongsangbuk-do >

Geumgwanchong, located in Noseo-dong, Gyeongju, is a tomb from the Silla Kingdom (B.C. 57∼A.D. 935). It is one of the three tombs that belong to the Noseo-dong Tombs in downtown Gyeongju.Geumgwanchong Tomb is regarded as the tomb of a king before or after the reign of King Ji-Jeung during the

163m

Daereungwon Tomb Complex

Gyeongsangbuk-do >

Large ancient tombs of kings and nobles of the Silla Kingdom can be seen around Gyeongju at the Daereungwon Tomb Complex (Cheonmachong Tomb). There are twenty-three large tombs located here; the most famous being Cheonmachong and Hwangnamdaechong.In an excavation of the area in the 1970s, Cheonmacho

289m

Gyeongju Historic Area [UNESCO World Heritage]

Gyeongsangbuk-do >

The Gyeongju Historic Area, registered as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage on November 2000, is an area that embodies the time-honored history and culture of Gyeongju, the ancient capital of the Silla Kingdom (新羅, 57-935)The Gyeongju Historic Area can be divided into 5 major sections.The first s

335m

Silla Culture Experience Center

Gyeongsangbuk-do >

Silla Culture Experience Center was established to offer various cultural programs featuring Gyeongju in the basement level between Daereungwon Tomb Complex and Cheomseongdae Observatory. Cultural programs include making chocolates in the shape of Gyeongju's cultural assets, making a golden crow

824m

Gyeongju Gyerim Forest

Gyeongsangbuk-do >

Gyerim Forest is located between the Cheomseongdae Observatory and Wolseong Fortress. The forest is thickly populated by ancient zelkova and willow trees rooted on gently sloping hills and along the small stream in the northwest part of the woods. According to legend, the forest is closely associate

1043m

Cheomseongdae Observatory

Gyeongsangbuk-do >

Cheomseongdae is the oldest existing astronomical observatory in Asia. Constructed during the reign of Queen Seon-deok (632-647), it was used for observing the stars in order to forecast the weather. This stone structure is a beautiful combination of straight lines and curves, and was designated as

1054m

Gyeongju Royal Tomb of King Naemul

Gyeongsangbuk-do >

King Naemul was the 17th monarch of the Silla Kingdom (in power from 356 to 402) and became the second king of the Kim family name. King Naemul was known as the first king to initiate the king title of ‘Maripgan’ and was known for spreading cultural advancements from China to the Korean

1136m

Gyeongju Gyochon Traditional Village

Gyeongsangbuk-do >

Located in Gyeongju-si, Gyeongju Gyochon Village is a hanok village that allows visitors a look inside life of famous the Choi Clan. Visitors can see the House of the Gyeongju Choi Clan (Important Folklore Material No. 27) and try some Gyeongju Gyodong Beopju Liquor (Important Intangible Cultural As

1282m

Gyeongju Gaon Guest House - Goodstay

Gyeongsangbuk-do >

Located in the middle of Gyeongju City, the Gyeongju Gaon Guest House is within easy reach of excellent public transportation services, offering easy access to the surrounding tourist attractions. The guesthouse is situated at the heart of local culture as various cultural facilities including Hwang

192m

Hwarang Guesthouse - Goodstay

Gyeongsangbuk-do >

Located in Gyeongju City, the Hostel Hwarang is within easy reach of public transport services (including a bus stop), making it the ideal base for visiting various tourist attractions such as the Bomun Tourist Complex, Bulguksa Temple, Seokguram Grotto, Tomb of King Munmu, and Columnar Joints. The

461m

화랑게스트하우스 (Hwarang Guesthouse)[한국관광품질인증/Korea Quality]

Gyeongsangbuk-do >

462m

Gyeongju Suhojeong

Gyeongsangbuk-do >

Gyeongju Suhojeong, located in front of the Gyeongju Daereungwon, is a Hanok guesthouse in a ㄱ shape. The traditional house was built in 2015 in accordance with traditional architecture using natural materials such as pine tree, red clay, straw, and others; thus, it is cool in summer and warm in w

493m

141 Mini Hotel - Goodstay

Gyeongsangbuk-do >

Located in Gyeongju City, the old capital of the Silla Dynasty for 1,000 years, the 141 Mini Hotel offers tourists and business travelers high-class hotel services coupled with the simplicity and convenience of a motel. The hotel is equipped with various convenient facilities such as a sauna, book c

525m

Seorabeol Hanok Guesthouse(서라벌한옥관)[한국관광품질인증/Korea Quality]

Gyeongsangbuk-do >

Seorabeol Hanok Guesthouse is a beautiful traditional Korean house located in front of Gyeongju Express Bus Terminal. The room rates are reasonable, and it's very conveniently located right across from the express bus terminal. It has seven rooms (16~20㎡) that are big enough for up to 4 guests. I

632m

Blueboat Guesthouse Gyeongju (블루보트게스트하우스 경주점) [한국관광품질인증/Korea Quality]

Gyeongsangbuk-do >

646m

You Guest House

Gyeongsangbuk-do >

735m

Sum Guesthouse - Goodstay

Gyeongsangbuk-do >

Placed in Gyeongju-si Gyeongbuk, Sum Guesthouse offers help for pleasant travelling with the clean and up-to-date facilities. Because Seongdong market is in 2-minute walk from the Guesthouse, travelers can buy Gyeongju's products at the low costs. Also, Gyeongju Station is in 5-minute walking di

782m

Silla Guesthouse - Goodstay

Gyeongsangbuk-do >

Silla Guesthouse, located in Gyeongju, a city with more than two thousand years of history, is modelled on a hanok, or Korean traditional house, and is run under the concept of “a place for everyone beyond all boundaries”. It has a large bar & lounge in its basement-level where visit

787m