Loading...
Loading...
Gyeongju, South Korea
Gyeongju was the capital of the Silla dynasty for nearly a thousand years, and the legacy of that golden age is visible everywhere you walk. The Tumuli Park contains 23 grassy burial mounds of Silla royals, some as tall as buildings, rising from manicured lawns in the city center. Bulguksa Temple, one of Korea's most important Buddhist temples, sits in the hills above the city with stunning architecture and views. Seokguram Grotto houses a masterpiece of Buddhist art — a serene stone Buddha gazing out through a cave opening over the East Sea. Anapji Pond (Donggung Palace) is a restored Silla-era pond and palace garden that is especially magical when illuminated at night. The Gyeongju National Museum holds an extraordinary collection of Silla gold crowns, jewelry, and artifacts. The Yangdong Folk Village, a living traditional village nearby, preserves Joseon-era yangban aristocratic houses in a beautiful valley setting.
explore by interest
Gyeongju's city-center sights are close together and flat — rent a bicycle to combine cycling between sites with walking through temple grounds and parks.
April for cherry blossom season around the royal tombs, or October through November for autumn foliage at Bulguksa Temple.