Gwangneung Royal Tomb [UNESCO World Heritage] (남양주 광릉(세조, 정희왕후) [유네스코 세계문화유산])

Gwangneung, located in Namyangju in Gyeonggi-do is the royal tomb of King Sejo (1417-1468, reign 1455-1468) and Queen Jeonghui (1418-1483). The king and queen are enshrined separately. The tomb on the left is King Sejo’s and the one on the right is Queen Jeonhui’s with a pavilion standing between the two tombs. Requested by King Sejo on his will, the simple design of the tomb and the surrounding compare to the past tombs saved cost and manpower required to finish the work, which became the model for future royal tomb design. Gwangneung is surrounded by forests where an abundance of wild plants grow. It is famous for being the habitat of the Korean redheaded woodpecker (Natural Monument No. 11).