The Ceremony of Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty

Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty Inscribed on the World Heritage List




The Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty, in recognition of their outstanding universal value, have been inscribed on the World Heritage List at the 33rd session of the World Heritage Committee held from June 22 to 30 in Seville, Spain.

The Joseon royal tombs are praised to bear testimony to the perspectives on nature and the universe during the Joseon period, which were reflected in the spatial layout, architectural design and usage, and the scale of stone objects. The outstanding universal values of the inscribed 40 royal tombs can also be found in maintaining the tradition of holding ancestral rites throughout the long history of the Joseon Dynasty and even today.

The Committee newly inscribed 13 sites, two natural and 11 cultural, on the World Heritage List. Since it withdrew one site, Dresden Elbe Valley (Germany), from the List, the List now numbers a total of 890 properties. The German World Heritage site was removed from the List as the Committee decided the site could no longer retain its outstanding universal value mainly due to the construction of a four-lane bridge in the heart of the cultural landscape.

The Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty became the ninth World Heritage site in Korea following the inscription of the Jeju Volcanic Island and Lava Tube in 2007. In celebration of the new inscription, the Cultural Heritage Administration provides visitors with free entrance to the tomb grounds until July 12, 2009.

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