Tomb of King Kongmin

Top choice in North Korea


The 31st Koryo king, Kongmin reigned between 1352 and 1374 and his tomb is the best preserved and most elaborate in the country. It is richly decorated with traditional granite facing and statuary, including sheep statues (in honour of his Mongolian wife, whom the king was forced to marry by his Mongolian overlords) and plenty of vaguely Aztec-looking altars. It’s a very secluded site, about 13km west of Kaesong, and is part of the city's Unesco World Heritage listing.