From Crown Prince Sado to King Jeongjo, the 2.2 km Forest Trail Connecting the Two Royal Tombs of Hwaseong Yungneung and Geolleung

Jongjo's Hwaseong Plan, Which Began with the 1789 Relocation of a Tomb

Yunggeunleung is the name used to refer collectively to two joint royal tombs. In the eastern Yungneung rest the posthumously honored Crown Prince Jangjo, namely Prince Sado, and Queen Heon-gyeong of the Hong clan, while in the western Geonneung lie the 22nd king of Joseon, King Jongjo, and Queen Hyoeui of the Kim clan. The two tombs were inscribed as part of the UNESCO World Heritage site "Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty" in 2009.

In 1789, King Jongjo moved the tomb of his father, Prince Sado, from beneath Baebongsan in Seoul to Hwaseong and named it Hyeonryungwon. In 1899, during the Korean Empire period, Jangjo was posthumously honored as an emperor, and the tomb's name was changed to Yungneung. Because Jongjo personally planned and improved Yongjusa Temple and Suwon Hwaseong Fortress around his father's tomb, this place is more than a royal burial ground; it is a starting point for reading the development of the Hwaseong area in the late Joseon period and Jongjo's political vision.

How to Compare the Construction Years of Yungneung and Geonneung

Yungneung was first established in 1789, the 13th year of King Jongjo's reign, and became a joint tomb when Queen Hyeongyeong Hong passed away in 1816. Later, in 1899, its name and rank were reorganized as Jangjo and Queen Heon-gyeong were posthumously honored. If you first confirm at the on-site information board that it is a joint tomb in which a husband and wife are buried together in one burial mound, it becomes easier to understand the layout of the tomb precinct.

Geonneung was built in 1800, the year King Jongjo passed away, and became a joint tomb when Queen Hyoeui of the Kim clan was buried there in 1821. Both tombs follow the basic order of royal tombs, with a red-spiked gate, a ceremonial path, a ritual pavilion, and the burial mound, but Yungneung is especially worth observing for its stone figures and sacrificial spaces because of its historical background as a tomb to which King Jongjo devoted special care to restore his father's honor.

• Yungneung: the joint tomb of Jangjo and Queen Heon-gyeong Hong
• Geonneung: the joint tomb of King Jongjo and Queen Hyoeui Kim
• Ceremonial path: the path leading to the ritual pavilion, the sacred ceremonial space
• Burial mound area: the sacred zone where the mound and stone figures are located

9:00 Opening and the Seasonal 1-Hour Closing Rule

Visiting begins at 09:00 year-round. From February to May and from September to October, admission is open until 18:00, and entry closes at 17:00. From June to August, hours are extended by 30 minutes until 18:30, and from November to January they are shortened to 17:30, with entry closing at 17:30 and 16:30 respectively.

The site is closed every Monday. If Monday is a public holiday, it closes the following day. The management office's main phone number is 031-222-0142, and the official Royal Palaces and Tombs website's admission fee page lists the common royal tomb fees and exemption rules. If your schedule is tight, it is better to arrive earlier than 90 minutes before ticket sales close so you can see the history and culture museum and both tombs together.

1,000 KRW for Adults and Free Entry on the Last Wednesday

The regular admission fee is 1,000 KRW for domestic visitors aged 25 to 64 and foreign visitors aged 19 to 64, and 800 KRW for groups of 10 or more. Hwaseong residents receive a 50% discount on the regular admission fee and can enter for 500 KRW by presenting proof of residence such as an ID card. A one-month all-access pass for royal tombs and royal gardens costs 10,000 KRW.

Entry is free for domestic visitors aged 24 or under and 65 or older, and foreign visitors aged 18 or under and 65 or older. Pregnant visitors and one accompanying guardian, visitors wearing hanbok, registered persons with disabilities, and one accompanying guardian for a person with a severe disability are also eligible for free admission. Free entry is applied on the last Wednesday of every month, "Culture Day," so if the date matches, you can enter without buying a ticket.

• General adult: 1,000 KRW
• Group of 10 or more: 800 KRW
• Regular admission for Hwaseong residents: 500 KRW
• Domestic visitors aged 24 or under or 65 or older: free

From Exit 2 of Byeongjeom Station to the Yungneung-Geonneung Stop

By public transportation, Exit 2 of Byeongjeom Station on Line 1 is the simplest starting point. From near the exit, take bus 34, 34-1, 35-1, 46, or 50 and get off at the "Yungneung-Geonneung" stop; according to the guide, the bus ride takes about 15 minutes. From Suwon Station and the northern and southern gates of Suwon Hwaseong Fortress, bus 46 takes about 40 minutes.

By car, set the destination to 21, Hyohaeng-ro 481beon-gil, Hwaseong-si, Gyeonggi-do. There is a public parking lot near the entrance, and the Korea Tourism Organization's tourism data indicates that parking is available. A June 2026 visitor review confirms a case of free use of the public parking lot, but reviews repeatedly note that it fills up quickly on weekend mornings. If you are driving, arriving right at the 09:00 opening time helps reduce both parking and sightseeing time.

A 90-Minute Walk Starting with the History and Culture Museum and Continuing to Yungneung and Geonneung

After passing the ticket office, it is best to head first to the Yungneung-Geonneung History and Culture Museum. Here, panels, videos, and models introduce the structure of Joseon royal tombs, the lineage of Jangjo and Jongjo, and the construction process of Yungneung and Geonneung. The Korea Tourism Organization explains that, from the ticket office, Yungneung and Geonneung are located on both sides, and visiting both places takes about 1 hour to 1 hour and 30 minutes.

If you include the forest path at a relaxed pace, plan for about 2 hours. A June 2026 visitor review introduced the "A" course connecting the two tombs as 2.2 km and about 50 minutes, and a straight route only to Yungneung was recorded as about 10 to 15 minutes one way. In front of the ritual pavilion, do not step off the ceremonial path, and view the burial mound from outside the protective fence.

• History and Culture Museum: the section where you first learn about the structure of the royal tombs and the stories of King Jongjo and Prince Sado
• Yungneung: the route where you sequentially see the red-spiked gate, ceremonial path, ritual pavilion, and burial mound
• Yungneung-Geonneung forest path: the connecting section through pine and oak trees
• Geonneung: the final section where you face the joint tomb of King Jongjo and Queen Hyoeui

Pine Forest Paths, Biota Orientalis, and Visitor Etiquette

The Biota orientalis tree beside the ceremonial house is designated as a natural monument. After touring the royal tombs, it is good to extend your route to the area around the ceremonial house and look at the tree's branching trunk together with the information board. The forest path between Yungneung and Geonneung is also one of the Joseon royal tomb forest paths periodically opened by the Cultural Heritage Administration in spring and autumn.

Food and drinks, pets, picnic mats, and kickboards are not allowed inside. A June 2026 review mentioned stroller and wheelchair storage next to the ticket office, but because the interior mixes dirt paths and paved paths, moving through the entire two tombs by wheelchair or stroller can be difficult in some sections. Foreign-language interpretation is available in English and Japanese, and Hwaseong City cultural tourism interpretation can be reserved by phone from 09:30 to 16:30.