Gwanggaeto Stele
好太王碑
The commemorative stele of Gwanggaeto the Great, the 19th king of Goguryeo. Standing 6.39 metres tall and carved with 1,775 characters, it is one of the most important surviving ancient inscriptions in Northeast Asia.
The Gwanggaeto Stele was erected in 414 CE by King Jangsu to honor his father, Gwanggaeto the Great. Carved from a single block of breccia-tuff standing 6.39 metres tall, it bears 1,775 characters of clerical script on all four sides. The inscription recounts the founding myth of Goguryeo and the military campaigns of Gwanggaeto. It is a core historical source for studying Goguryeo, the ancient Korean Peninsula and its relations with Japan. Today the stele is protected by a glass pavilion. About 300 metres away is the Tomb of Gwanggaeto the Great (Tai Wang Tomb), and both sites are in the same scenic area. A combined ticket for the Goguryeo heritage sites (Tomb of King Jangsu, Gwanggaeto Stele and Wandu Mountain Fortress) costs about 70 yuan, and individual tickets cost about 30 yuan (subject to the scenic area's official announcement). The stele is about 4 km from the city centre, a 10-minute taxi ride, and can be combined with the General's Tomb in the same morning.
Opening hours
About 08:00–17:00
Nearby sights
- Tomb of King Gwanggaeto
- Yushan Tombs (Wukuifen Tomb No.5)
- Tomb of the General (Tomb of King Jangsu)
- Ji'an Museum
- Yalu Riverside Square
- Ji'an Morning Market
- Yangyushi Yalu River Rafting
- Gungnae City Ruins