Tomb of King Gyeongdeok

On a hill far to the southwest of downtown Gyeongju stands a tomb said to belong to King Gyeongdeok (r. 742-765), Silla's 35th monarch.

King Gyeongdeok took the throne just as Silla's absolute royal authority began to decline, and he reorganized the kingdom's administrative regions and official ranks. The mound is round, encircled by retaining stones meant to protect it. These retaining stones resemble the stone base of a wooden building, with floor stones laid down and facing stones arranged on top — a distinctive structural feature.