In 1971, workers digging drainage near a group of ancient burial mounds above the Geum river at Gongju broke into a brick tomb that had never been looted. Inside lay the remains and treasures of King Muryeong of Baekje, who died in 523, and his queen: gold crowns, ornaments, a stone tablet naming the king, and thousands of objects. It was one of the greatest archaeological finds in Korean history, and it is the centrepiece of the Royal Tombs at Songsan-ri, part of the Baekje Historic Areas World Heritage Site listed in 2015.
The tombs are closed to protect them, but a replica tomb and an exhibition hall explain the finds, and the Gongju National Museum, nearby, displays the treasures. Baekje was one of the Three Kingdoms of ancient Korea, with close ties to China and Japan, and Gongju, then called Ungjin, was its capital for some sixty years in the fifth and sixth centuries before it moved to Buyeo.
Gongsanseong, a fortress with stone walls running along a ridge above the Geum river, is the other main site in Gongju, with gates, pavilions and views over the town and the river. Walking the walls takes an hour or two and is lovely in the evening.
The riding around Gongju is pleasant, with national roads following the Geum valley and climbing into the hills. Magoksa, a Buddhist mountain temple, part of the Sansa World Heritage listing, lies in a valley northwest of the town, reached by a scenic road. Gyeryongsan National Park, to the east, has mountain roads and temples. Remember that motorcycles cannot use expressways in Korea, so plan routes on national roads.
Gongju has a fuel station or two and shops. The town is known for chestnuts, and chestnut dishes and sweets are sold everywhere. The Baekje Cultural Festival, held in autumn in Gongju and Buyeo, is a major event with parades and lanterns on the river.