Dayu (다유)

4.2 Km 10506 2019-08-01

84-5, Moksil-gil, Cheonbuk-myeon, Gyeongju-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do
+82-54-773-8866

Located in Mulcheon-ri, Gyeongju-si, Dayu offers a comfortable resting place for visitors who need to rest and recharge during their trip. The restaurant serves nutritious meals for vegetarians and traditional teas.

Tomb of Queen Seondeok (경주 선덕여왕릉)

4.2 Km 29749 2022-07-27

Baeban-dong, Gyeongju-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do
+82-54-779-6100

The Tomb of Queen Seondeok is a round tumulus with a circumference of 73 meters. Aside from the fact that it is circled by a protective two-layer rock, the tomb has no other unique features. As the oldest daughter of King Jinpyeong, Queen Seondeok became the first queen of the Silla Kingdom. During the 16th year of her reign, Bunhwangsa Temple and Cheomseongdae Observatory were built. She also ordered the construction of the famous nine-story wooden pagoda of Hwangyongsa Temple, a significant achievement of Buddhist architecture. While many of her efforts laid the foundation for the unification of Three Kingdoms of Korea, Queen Seondeok’s reign was plagued by rebellion and strife and she died in 647 during a rebellion, 23 years before unification was realized.

La Fleur (라플레르)

4.2 Km 0 2024-02-28

421-11 Alcheonbuk-ro, Gyeongju-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do

La Fleur is a hanok café located near the UNESCO World Heritage Site Hwangnyongsa Temple. It offers a selection of beverages and simple meals like bibimbap and its signature menu item, avocado myeongnan bibimbap (avocado and pollack roe bibimbap). The café boasts a beautifully curated garden adorned with various trees and ornaments, while the interior is adorned with potted plants and decorative items.

Gyeongju Country Club (경주컨트리클럽)

4.3 Km 12809 2015-02-16

182-98, Bomun-ro, Gyeongju-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do
+82-54-745-2228

Gyeongju Country Club is located within Bomun Tourism Area with spectacular scenery of the Bomun Lake. It is within 15 minutes from Gyeongju and is aiming to become the best golf course in Korea.

The characteristic of Gyeongju Country Club is "Light Golf" which has enabled players to play golf at night and at daybreak under perfect light settings. It is located in Gyeongju, which is a tourism city, attracting the attention of tourists who love golf.

Suseokjeong (수석정)

4.6 Km 22832 2024-02-23

41 Naeri-gil, Gyeongju-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do
054-748-0835

Situated just ten minutes from the Gyeongju National Museum, Suseokjeong offers an opportunity to savor the refined culinary art of Korean table d'hote. Its signature dish is tteokgalbi jeongsik (grilled galbi patties set menu). The meal begins with warm sungnyung (scorched rice soup) served in a yugi bowl, followed by a hearty spread that includes jeonbokjuk (abalone porridge), tteokgalbi, and gungjung japchae (royal japchae). For dessert, guests can enjoy dried fruits and sujeonggwa (cinnamon punch). Nearby attractions include the Neungjitap Pagoda Site, Rock-carved Buddhas in the Tapgok Valley, and the Stone Seated Buddha in the Mireukgok Valley of Namsan Mountain.

Gyeongsangbuk-do Forest Research Institute (경상북도 산림환경연구원)

5.0 Km 33773 2021-02-01

367, Tongil-ro, Gyeongju-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do
+82-54-778-3813

Located at the foot of Namsan Mountain in Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do Forest Research Institute is a popular spot for field trips and relaxation due to the institute's rare and rural forestry along with well-preserved endangered plants and wild flowers.

Bunhwangsa Temple (분황사)

5.0 Km 31442 2024-02-29

94-11 Bunhwang-ro, Gyeongju-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do

Bunhwangsa Temple, located next to the ruins of Hwangnyongsa Temple in Gyeongju, was established in 634 during the Silla dynasty. Visitors can see cultural assets such as the Stone Brick Pagoda designated as a national treasure, and the Pedestal for the Stele of State Preceptor Hwajaeng registered as a Historic Site. Despite being a significant and ancient temple, much of it was lost during wars such as the Mongolia invasions and the Japanese invasions of Korea, leaving only a few buildings and temple grounds like Bogwangjeon Hall. Nearby, there is the Hwangnyongsa Museum.

Gyeongju Hwangnyongsa Temple Site (경주 황룡사지)

5.2 Km 21171 2021-01-29

64-19, Imhae-ro, Gyeongju-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do
+82-54-779-6100

Hwangnyongsa Temple Site is located in front of Bunhwangsa Temple in Guhang-dong, Gyeongju. During the Silla Era, the Hwangnyongsa Temple was the nation’s largest temple and housed the bulk of the country’s major Buddhist treasures.

Construction of the temple began in 553 on a field east of the royal compound under the commission of King Jinheung. The king originally planned to build a palace, but decided to build a temple instead, after receiving reports that a yellow dragon had been spotted on the building site. The temple was thus named Hwangnyongsa (Temple of Yellow Dragon) and was completed in 569, seventeen years after construction began. The temple murals featured an old pine tree drawn by Artist Solgeo. During the Silla Era, the temple was the center of state-sanctioned Buddhism.

Later, when monk Jajang was studying in China during the Tang dynasty, he came across a god as he was passing by Taihe Pond. The god said to him, “The yellow dragon, which is my eldest son, is guarding Hwangnyongsa Temple upon orders of Brahma, the Creator. If you build a nine-story pagoda upon your return to Silla, the neighboring states will surrender and pay tribute, and the royal cause will be stronger. Once the construction of the pagoda is complete, prepare a memorial service for the local gods and pardon any of the country's criminals. If you follow all I have told you, no other state will dare invade Silla.”

After this encounter, Jajang returned to Silla and convinced Queen Seondeok to build the nine-story pagoda. Master architect Abiji of the neighboring state Baekje designed the pagoda and the project was built by Yongchun and 200 men using wood and stone. The night before the columns were to be erected, Architect Abiji of Baekje dreamed of the fall of Baekje and refused to complete the project. With a peal of thunder, an old monk and a man of great strength suddenly appeared from the temple's main hall, erected the columns, and magically disappeared. Abiji was so shocked at the sight that he accepted his country’s future demise as the fate of the gods and once again restarted work on the temple. (From Samgungnyusa, the Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms)

In the twenty-three years following the completion of the pagoda, Queen Seondeok unified the Three Kingdoms; later, numerous scholars pointed to the pagoda as a contributing factor in the unification. Of the three treasures of Silla, two were located at Hwangnyongsa Temple. The largest bell of Silla was also in the temple, but was taken away during the Mongol invasion. The highest monks of Silla preached at the temple, and many kings came to listen to the Buddhist teachings.

During excavation work in July 1969, the massive foundation stones of the sermon hall, auditorium, and pagoda were found. Eight years of archaeological excavations and studies revealed the unique layout of the temple grounds, which consisted of one pagoda and three halls; also found were 40,000 or so ancient artifacts. Though foundation stones and other structures from the bottom of the temple were identified through excavation, there are no historical clues about the temple’s upper design, making the restoration of the temple in its entirety practically impossible. The size of the temple, based on archeological findings, was about 70 acres, roughly eight times larger than that of Bulguksa Temple.

Hwarang Institute (화랑교육원)

5.3 Km 19629 2024-02-23

62 Saenamsan-gil, Gyeongju-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do

Hwarang Institute is Korea's first character education organization. It aims to inherit the spirit of the Silla dynasty's Hwarang, a youth warrior group, and to cultivate good character and personality in children. Its facilities include Hwarang Hall, a playground, an auditorium, and a Safety Education Hall. Notably, the Safety Education Hall features an earthquake experience room, a life-saving room, and a 4D video room, where children can receive effective preventive safety education on health, crime, and natural disasters. Nearby tourist attractions include the Gyeongju National Museum, the Tomb of King Jeonggang, Gyeongju Millennium Forest Garden, and the Tomb of King Gyeongae.

The Divine Bell of King Seongdeok (성덕대왕신종)

5.4 Km 25673 2020-04-04

186, Iljeong-ro, Gyeongju-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do
+82-54-740-7500

The Divine Bell of King Seongdeok, the largest Korean bell preserved, stands 3.75-meter tall, has a lip diameter of 2.27 meters, and is 11 to 25 entimeters wide. In 1997, Gyeongju National Museum weighed it at 18.9 tons. The bell was cast to pay tribute to the memory of King Seongdeok. It was completed in 771 and named ‘The Divine Bell of King Seongdeok.’ However, because the bell was installed at Bongdeoksa Temple, it has also been called the Bell of Bongdeoksa.

The bell is also known as the Emile Bell, a name derived from an ancient legend in which a child was sacrificed in order to give sound to the bell, whose echoes of ‘em-ee-leh’ resemble the traditional Korean word for "mommy."

The tubular sound pipe at the top of the bell that helps the sound reverberate is a unique feature that can be found only in Korean bells. The yongnyu, which serves as a loop to hang the bell, has been decorated to resemble a dragon’s head. A band of arabesque patterns can be found at the shoulder, and the striking point of the bell is in the shape of a lotus flower.

The magnificent design and inscription methods used in this bell exemplify the artisan's craftmanship of the Unified Silla period. The bell is also inscribed with over one thousand Chinese characters, and its beauty and integrity have been meticulously preserved despite the passage of over 1,300 years.

Dayu (다유) - Area information - Korea travel information