Gyeongju Ssambap Street

The large tomb enclosed and protected by the walls is the tomb of King Michu. King Michu was a significant figure in Silla history, serving as the first King of Silla from the Kim family. During his reign, he exhibited a strong commitment to the development of the kingdom, defended it against foreign invasions, and promoted agricultural advancement. These efforts earned him profound respect from the people, a respect that continued even after his passing. King Michu's tomb is also known by the nickname the bamboo tomb. This name has an interesting story behind it. During the reign of the 14th king of Silla, the kingdom faced an invasion from a neighboring nation. Silla was struggling in the battles, and the situation looked dire. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, an army of resolute soldiers appeared. Each of them wore helmets adorned with bamboo leaves and fought valiantly on behalf of Silla, eventually leading the kingdom to victory. After the battle, these mysterious soldiers vanished without a trace, leaving only bamboo leaves behind. People came to believe that these bamboo leaf soldiers originated from the bamboo forest surrounding King Michu's tomb, and thus, they began to refer to it as the bamboo tomb. The legend persisted, with people thinking that King Michu was still watching over and assisting Silla, the kingdom he loved, even after his passing.

If you take the left path from the Tomb of King Michu and continue until you pass a small lake, you'll come across the information office of Cheonmachong Tomb, located to the west of the lake. The name Cheonmachong Tomb refers to the “tomb of a heavenly horse.” What makes it particularly noteworthy is that typically a tomb is named after its owner, the person who is buried under it. However, in the case of Cheonmachong Tomb, the identity of the owner has never been uncovered. As a result, it is named after the most famous treasure discovered within it, which is the painting of a heavenly horse. Cheonmachong Tomb stands at a height of 12.7 meters and has a diameter of 47 meters. Researchers estimate that its construction would have required the efforts of approximately 200 workers laboring full-time every day for over six months. These grand and opulent royal tombs underscore the ruler's desire to display their authority and the strength of the regime. Venturing inside the tomb provides a glimpse into Silla culture. The internal structure and interior of the tomb are adorned with replicas of artifacts that were excavated from it. The original artifacts are on display at the Gyeongju National Museum.

Inside Cheonmachong Tomb, you can see the coffin of the owner of the tomb. It is an exact replica of what was discovered during the excavation. The tomb is constructed in the typical Silla style. To build this tomb, first you lay the coffin and put up a wooden chamber around it. Then, you pile a mound of stones on the chamber and put a layer of mud on it. Take a look into the glass case. When the site was excavated, a golden crown was found near the head of the body. It was covering the face like a mask. Also, a sword and a golden belt were hung around its waist, and the axe and a pair of gilt-bronze boots were found at the feet. Much of the artifacts that were once kept in ancient tombs of Korea were lost due to robbery and foreign invasion. However, here in Cheonmachong Tomb, it seems most of them were kept safe. It owes to the unique structure of tombs of Silla. If you look at the replica of the tomb, you’ll see the mound of stones on the wooden chamber. If grave robbers attempted to get into the tomb, the stones would crash and block the entrance. There was no way any robber could reach the artifacts inside.