Gyeongju is a small city south of Seoul which once served as the historical capital of Korea. Much of Korean Buddhist art is concentrated here in the form of sculptures, reliefs, pagodas, temples and palaces. It is said that if you go to Korea without visiting Gyeongju, your understanding of the country will be incomplete.

Here are the major landmarks you must visit in Gyeongu:

Bulguksa Temple – regarded as a masterpiece in Buddhist art. Like many Korean temples, Bulguksa has the Gate of the Four Guardians, deities whose expressions range from smiling to teeth-gnashing. Together, the guardians symbolize the triumph of wisdom over ignorance. Two famous stone pagodas, Seokgatap and Dabotap, stand in front of the main rayer hall. Bulguksa has been destroyed and reconstructed over the centuries, the most recent one occurring in 1965.

Yangdong Folk Village – one of Korea’s best examples of a banchon, a community where yangban (an aristocratic class) scholars gathered. In the mid-15th century, a scholar named Son So found favor in the agricultural potential and geomantric properties of the valley, and founded a village that produce a number of remarkable officials and scholars, such as “Hoejae” Yi Eon-jeok of the mid-Joseon Confucian school. Yangdong’s 150 houses demonstrate the fundamental architectural principle of Korea to harmonize, not dominate nature. The best way to appreciate the beauty of the village is to sit inside on of the pavilions and stare out any window to feel as one with the landscape.

Seokguram Grotto – an artificial grotto made of granite, Seokguram contains a dome-like room with a large stone Buddha seating at the center. The grotto is carved on the side of a mountain, with huge stone slabs supporting the entire area. On the solstice, the third eye of the Buddha is hit by sunlight coming from the dome above his head. The ray of light is said to shine along a south-southeast direction, towards an ancient temple destroyed by the Mongols in the 13th century.

Gyerim – found in Gyeongju National Park, this “rooster forest”, as the name translates, contains petrified trees. The name derives from an ancient legend when King Talhae of the Silla dynasty found a gold box hanging from a tree branch, which hides a white chicken.

Tumuli Park – called Daereungwon in Korean, this park contains more than 20 tombs of varying sizes from the Silla period. These earthen and mound-shaped tombs are said to belong to kings and court officials. Double-mounds exist for royal couples who were entombed together. One mound has been hollowed out and turned into a museum called Cheonmachong. These tombs are formed by laying a thick pile of stones and clay around a wooden coffin, then covered by dirt and grass.

Royal Tombs – these include the Gwoereung Tomb, Oreung Tombs Park, Baeri Samneung Tombs, and King Munmu’s Underwater Tomb.

Covered Market – located near the Gyeongju train station, this place is a classic example of a Korean market with plenty of seafood, food stands and textiles.

Namsan Mountain – this historically important mountain is littered with historical Buddha reliefs carved into the rock and boulders, and contains pagodas and temples, as well.

Wolseong Park – contains Cheomeseongde Observatory, the oldest of its kind in East Asia. Built out of 366 stones (the number of days in a lunar calendar year), this 7th century structure symbolizes 28 major constellations, the 12 stones at the base represent the 12 months,  and the 30 layers stands for the 30 days of the month. Locals spend Sundays here flying kites, riding coaches or just strolling through the scenery.

Getting to Gyeongju from Incheon International Airport is a 3-hour fast rail trip. Try to coincide your visit with the Gyeongju Traditional Liquor and Cake Festival, held every year between March and April in Hwangseong Park. More than 20 activities are organized during the festival, from brewing traditional liquor to a cheongju (clear strained rice wine) footbath, which is said to increase blood circulation and cure colds as well as muscular pains.

Posted in Attractions, Korea

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