The Seolleung Royal Tomb is the tomb of Seongjong, the 9th king of Joseon, and his wife, Queen Jeonghyeon. In order to establish Confucianism and realize the politics of the royal principle, King Seongjong fostered sarim (Confucian scholars) to keep the Hungu faction in check and stabilized the overall political system in the early Joseon Dynasty. The Jeongneung Royal Tomb is the tomb of King Jungjong, the 11th king of Joseon. Jeongneung was originally located on the hill to the right of Huireung, the tomb of Queen Janggyeong, the second wife (first consort) of King Jungjong, but it was moved to its current location after the third queen (second consort), Queen Munjeong, said that it was an inauspicious site according to geomantic principles.

The Taereung Royal Tomb is the tomb of Queen Munjeong (1501-1565), the third queen of King Jungjong, the 11th king of Joseon. Queen Munjeong was initially supposed to be buried in the Jeongneung Royal Tomb, where King Jungjong had been laid to rest, but she was buried here instead due to a flood during the monsoon season. The Gangneung Royal Tomb is the tomb of Myeongjong, the 13th king of the Joseon Dynasty (r. 1545-1567) and Queen Insun (1532-1575).

The Hongneung Royal Tomb is the tomb of Emperor Gojong, the first emperor of the Korean Empire, and Empress Myeongseong. Hongneung was created in a new form designed for the Korean emperor that was different from the conventional royal tombs of the Joseon Dynasty. The Yureung Royal Tomb is the tomb of Sunjong, the 2nd emperor of the Korean Empire, and his first wife, Empress Sunmyeong of the Min family clan, and his second wife, Empress Sunjeong of the Yun family clam. The Yureung Royal Tomb is a joint tomb in which there are three tombs together in a single burial mound.

“Donggureung” means “nine tombs in the eastern part of the capital.” It is centered around the Geonwonneung Royal Tomb of King Taejo, the first king of Joseon; the Hyeonneung Royal Tomb of the 5th king, Munjong, and Queen Hyeondeok; the Mongneung Royal Tomb of the 14th king, Seonjo, and his first and second queen consorts, Queen Uiin and Queen Inmok; the Hwireung Royal Tomb of Queen Jangnyeol, the second queen consort of the 16th king, Injo; the Sungnung Royal Tomb of the 18th king, Hyeonjong, and Queen Myeongseong; the Hyereung Royal Tomb of Queen Danui, the wife of the 20th king, Gyeongjong; the Wonneung Royal Tomb of the 21st king, Yeongjo, and Queen Jeongsun; the Sureung Royal Tomb of Munjo, who was posthumously honored as king, and his wife, Empress Shinjeong; and the Gyeongneung Royal Tomb of the 24th king, Heonjong, and Empress Hyohyeon and Empress Hyojeong.

Seooreung is the second largest royal tomb site after Donggureung, and it consists of five tombs. After the tomb of Crown Prince Uigyeong (Deokjong), the eldest son of King Sejo, was first built, the crown prince was posthumously honored as King Deokjong, and his tomb was renamed Gyeongneung. Then, his wife, Queen Sohye, was buried on the hill to the west of Gyeongneung. Later, the Changreung Royal Tomb of the 8th king, Yejong, and Queen Ansun; the Ingneung Royal Tomb of Queen Ingyeong, the first queen consort of the 19th king, Sukjong; the Myeongneung Royal Tomb of Sukjong, his second queen consort Inhyeon, and his third queen consort, Inwon; and the Hongneung Royal Tomb of Queen Jeongseong, the first queen consort of the 21st king, Yeongjo, were built.

Seosamneung consists of three royal tombs: Huireung, Hyoreung, and Yereung. After the Huireung Royal Tomb of Queen Janggyeong, the second queen consort of King Jungjong, was built first, the Hyoreung Royal Tomb of King Injong and Queen Inseong and the Yereung Royal Tomb of King Cheoljong and Queen Cheorin were constructed, and the three came to be called Seosamneung. In addition to the three royal tombs, there are three royal tombs for crown princes and crown princesses (Sogyeongwon, Uiryeongwon, and Hyochangwon), one tomb (Hoemyo), 46 tombs of princes, princesses, and concubines, and 54 placenta chambers.

The Yeongneung Royal Tomb is the tomb of King Sejong (r. 1418-1450), the 4th king of the Joseon Dynasty, and his wife Queen Soheon (1395-1446). Sejong is known for bringing Joseon into a golden age, with remarkable achievements in various fields such as politics, the economy, society, and culture. When Queen Soheon passed away in 1446 (the 28th year of King Sejong’s reign), a tomb was built with double chambers on the hill west of the Heolleung Royal Tomb, and when King Sejong passed away in 1450 (the 32nd year of King Sejong’s reign), he was laid to rest next to her. Later, in 1469 (the 1st year of King Yejong’s reign), the Yeongneung Royal Tomb was moved to its present location because it was said to be inauspicious according to geomantic principles. This was the first royal tomb of the Joseon Dynasty in which different chambers were created within a single burial mound to bury the king and queen in the form of a joint tomb.