Gyeongju

The thousand-year capital of Silla: Bulguksa, Seokguram Grotto and the Daereungwon tumuli. Called a "museum without walls", it is Korea's most important historical destination.

Gyeongju lies in southeastern North Gyeongsang Province, about 80 km north of Busan. For nearly a thousand years, from 57 BC to 935 AD, it was the capital of the Silla Kingdom; at its peak its population approached one million, rivaling Tang-dynasty Chang'an as a metropolis of East Asia, with highly developed Buddhist art, astronomy and metalwork. Today the city is full of massive royal burial mounds, temple sites, stone pagodas and ruins, and has been called a "museum without walls". The Gyeongju Historic Areas (2000), Bulguksa and Seokguram Grotto (1995) and Yangdong Folk Village (2010) are all UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Sightseeing falls into two parts: the downtown "Wolseong area" (Daereungwon tumuli, Cheomseongdae, Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond, Gyerim and Wolseong, Gyochon Hanok Village, Gyeongju National Museum, Hwangridan-gil), which can be covered on foot or by bicycle, with Wolji and Cheomseongdae lit up at night; and Bulguksa and Seokguram Grotto on Mt. Toham to the east (about 15 km from downtown, with a bus between the two), which takes half a day. Yangdong Folk Village to the north, and the Daewangam (Underwater Tomb of King Munmu) and Gameunsa temple site on the east coast, make good extensions for a second day. Best seasons: late March to early April is Gyeongju's most famous season, when cherry blossoms around Bomun Lake, Daereungwon and Heungmu-ro frame the tumuli and the whole city is hugely crowded; April–May brings canola flowers and the flower fields beside Cheomseongdae; from mid-to-late October to early November, autumn leaves color Bulguksa, Seokguram and the city, and in September–October pink muhly grass and cosmos bloom at the Hwangnyongsa site; summers are hot and rainy, while winters are dry and cold but quiet, with occasional snow on the tumuli. Getting there: the KTX from Seoul to Singyeongju Station takes about 2 hours (about 30 minutes from Busan), and from Singyeongju to downtown is about 30 minutes by bus or 20 by taxi; from Busan's Nopo-dong/Dongbu bus terminals to Gyeongju Intercity Bus Terminal is about 1 hour, and from Daegu also about 1 hour. City buses 10 and 11 link the main sights, and renting a bicycle (several shops around Hwangridan-gil and Daereungwon) is the most pleasant way to get around. Suggested length: 1 day for the highlights (Daereungwon–Cheomseongdae–Wolji–Bulguksa), or 2 days to add Seokguram, the museum and Yangdong. Tips: photography is not allowed inside Seokguram, and the Buddha is viewed through glass. Lighting at Wolji comes on around sunset and ends at 21:00–22:00. Wearing hanbok often earns discounts at sights such as Daereungwon, and Hwangridan-gil has many rental shops. Gyeongju Hwangnam-ppang (red-bean pastry) and Sipwon-ppang (ten-won bread) are signature souvenirs. During cherry blossom season, book accommodation one to two months ahead.

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