Korean City Guides: Gyeongju

Seoul I Incheon I Suwon I Daegu I Daejeon I Jeonju I Gwangju I Ulsan I Busan I Seogwipo I Gyeongju I Pyeongchang I Pyongyang

Gyeongju: Korea's Cultural Capital

Daniel Allen

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A green jewel in Korea's tourist crown, Gyeongju (also known as Kyongju) is less than an hour by road from Busan, and dates back more than 2000 years.

Most Koreans still think of Gyeongju as their country's cultural heart. As capital of the Shilla dynasty - the longest surviving kingdom in the history of Korea – Gyeongju boasts an unparalleled collection of invaluable historical artifacts and objets d'art. There are more than enough sights to make it a good weekend trip away from Busan, or even Seoul (4-5 hours by train).

While it was once home to over 2 million people, today Gyeongju has a population of around 260,000. It has a small-city feel and is very easy to explore. While not many foreigners make it here, the tourist and transport infrastructure is excellent, and there are a good range of restaurants and accommodation.

Bike rental outlets can be found all over town. Throughout the year Gyeongju puts on a number of shows and events to entertain visitors - the largest of these is the Shilla Cultural Festival. Held in the first week in October this Features a swordsmanship contest, the National Traditional Music Festival, and arts and wrestling competitions.

A good way to get a feel for Gyeongju's vaunted heritage is to visit the Tumuli Park, known as Daereungwon in Korean. This has more than 20 large and small tombs from the Shilla period; the earthen mounds are presumed to be those of kings and court officials. The heights of these mounds vary from 1 meter to 23 meters, and some double tombs were used for the joint burial of kings and queens.

Look out for the massive Hwangnam Daechong, a massive, twin-humped tumulus thought to be the tomb of a King Soji and his wife, who were buried around 500 AD. Close to a small, lily-clad lake, its impressive bulk stretches for over 80 meters, and rises to a maximum height of 25 meters. Other highlights include the Tomb of King Michu, the 13th Shilla king (262-284 AD). Local legend states that when the Japanese invaded Korea after Michu had been buried, soldiers emerged from the tomb with bamboo leaves in their ears and defeated the enemy.

A must-see in the Tumuli Park is Cheonmacheong or Heavenly Horse Tomb. Excavated in 1973 (the only tomb excavated to date), Cheonmacheng was probably constructed between the 5th and 6th century; it has many golden relics on display, including a beautifully ornate crown, the most valuable object to have been excavated in Gyeongju.

Gyeongju is really only famous for one kind of food - Hwangnam bread (Hwangnam bbang) - and this makes for a great mid-morning or mid-afternoon snack. This pastry consists of sweet red bean paste surrounded by a pastry crust and stamped with a distinctive sunburst design. Even those without a sweet tooth usually warm to this stuff - eaten straight from the oven with coffee or tea they're absolutely delicious.

There are lots of similar pastries available all over town, usually under the name of Kyungju/Gyeongju Bbang, but only the Hwangnam Bakery, where you can watch the bakers hard at work, is considered the real deal by most Koreans. The bakery is just across the street from Cheonmacheong, and bread is available to take away in boxed-up batches.

The Gyeongju National Museum, which boasts thousands of historical artifacts discovered in and around the city, is also well worth visiting to get an overview of Gyeongju's importance and former splendour. The massive bronze bell located by the museum gate is dedicated to the memory of King Seongdeok, who ruled from 702-737 CE.

A good option for lunch is the covered seafood market (Seongdong) by the train station, which offers freshly prepared raw fish (hway) and other traditional Korean fare. Hway chefs consider a freshly killed fish with firm flesh as the pinnacle of haute cuisine. Older Koreans enjoy their raw fish wrapped with vegetables, garlic, soybean paste and soy sauce mixed with vinegar and hot pepper - younger diners add eye-watering amounts of wasabi.

Perhaps the most special sights in Gyeongju are Bulguksa Temple and Seokguram Grotto, located a little way outside the city center (easily reached by bike or taxi). Considered the pinnacle of Buddhist art in Korea, both were registered as UNESCO World Cultural Heritage sites in 1995. These monuments capture the essence of Korean history and Buddhist culture and remain a source of intense pride for Koreans everywhere.

Bulguksa Temple was originally built in 528 CE during the Shilla Dynasty. King Kim Dae-Seong had it erected in honor of his parents. Although the original wooden structures have all since been rebuilt (between 1604 and 1805 CE the temple was renovated no fewer than 40 times), the magnificent stone bridges, stairways and pagodas that make up the rest of the complex are original.

At the same time that Bulguksa was being constructed in honor of his parents, King Kim Dae-Seong had Seokguram built in honor of his parents from a former life. The grotto is an artificial stone structure made of granite, located on the eastern peak of Mt. Toham. Inside the domed main hall is one of the world's finest shrines to the Buddha, surrounded by bodhisattvas and his guardians.

Anapji, or Anap Pond - an artificial pond in Gyeongju National Park - is a nice place to relax in the evening. The pond was part of a Shilla palace complex, and was constructed by order of King Munmu in 674 CE. In the evening musical shows are often put on here, including haunting pansori (Korean opera) renditions. Make sure to also check out the nearby Cheomsongdae Observatory, which is spectacularly lit up at night, and is claimed as the oldest observatory in Asia.

Further Info

There are regular buses to Gyeongju from Busan and Ulsan (1 hour).

There are regular flights to Busan from Seoul on Korean Air and Asiana, as well as high-speed KTX trains (3 hours - soon to be reduced to 90 minutes).

Recommended hotels in Gyeongju include the 300-room Kolon Hotel, the similar sized Commodore Chosun Hotel and the luxury Gyeongju Hilton.

View more images of Korea by Daniel Allen

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