Introducing Gyeongju

As the capital of the Silla Kingdom for almost a thousand years, Gyeongju preserves vast amount of significant and fascinating historical heritages. Along with Bulguksa Temple and Seokguram Grotto, the Gyeongju Historical District has been designated as a World Heritage by UNESCO. Due to the bountiful historical, natural and cultural attractions, this region has long been a major tourist destination in Korea.

Attractions

 

The Bulguksa Temple – The Bulguksa is a masterpiece of the 1,000-year Silla culture on the southeast slope of Mt. Tohamsan, as it shows the refines artistry and the advanced mind of the Silla people. While most of the wooden buildings have been rebuilt over the centuries, all of the stone bridges, stairways and pagodas are original. Bulguksa Temple was added to UNESCO’s World Cultural Heritage list in 1995.

The Seokguram Grotto – Dating back to the same period as Bulguksa Temple, Seokguram is is one of Asia’s greatest Buddhist shrines. Surrounded by Bodhisattvas and guardian deities, the serene central statue of Buddha gazes out over the forested hills and across the East Sea to the horizon. Building the granite dome of Seokguram was a trulyamazing architectural feat. The Seokguram Grotto was added to the UNESCO’s World Cultural Heritage list in 1995.

The Folk Handicraft Village – A place where the descendants of Silla’s master artisans work. The village consists of an exhibition hall, a shop and 17 workshops producing metallic wares, ceramics, woodcraft, jewellery, embroidery and bamboo works.

The Gyeongju National Museum – Numerous precious relics of Silla are gathered here. The main hall displays an extensive collection that includes pieces from prehistoric times. Ancient Tomb Hall has treasures excavated from silla tombs, and Anapji Hall contains the relics found at the Silla’s palace pond, Anapji. In the museum garden is another famous symbol of Silla people’s artistic and religious spirit, the Divine Bell of the Great King Seongdeok, which is also named ‘‘Emille Bell’’ for its mysterious resonant sound.

The Anapji Pond – The Silla royal family relaxed and enjoyed themselves and entertained important guests at Anapji Pond. Surrounded by trees, ponds and natural stones, it is a serene royal garden. About 700 items excavated from the site are exhibited in the Anapji Hall of the Gyeongju National Museum, including a wooden boat and earthen wares.

The Cheomseongdae (Astronomical) Observatory – The Cheomseongdae is a stone tower regarded as the oldest astronomical observatory in the east. The bottle-shaped structure is about 30 feet high, with a ten square feet opening facing south midway up. A total of 365 stones were used to build it, including 12 rectangular base stones and 12 levels of stones above and below the central window. The top is covered by a double layer of square stones. Art historians highly praise the elegant beauty of the structure.

The Tumuli Park Daereungwon – the Tumuli Park is a collection of royal Silla tombs located in the middle of Gyeongju. The park contains 23 tombs, of which Cheonmachong (Flying Horse Tomb) is the most famous. It was excavated in 1974 and yielded more than 10,000 properties including a golden crown and a girdle, which are displayed in the Gyeongju National Museum.

The Bomun Lake Resort – The lakeside complex is a blend of traditional and modern elements, with five star deluxe hotels, a convention centre, a casino, golf courses, extensive shopping and dining facilities, an amusement park, pleasure boats, hot springs and even a contemporary art museum.

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