|
|
|
 |
| The
southeastern part
of Korea is the richest
in the country in
terms of tourist attractions.
It is full of beautiful
landscapes and mysterious
legends and it is
also the site of the
ancient Silla Kingdom
from which many relics
and magnificent examples
of Buddhist culture
remain. |
 SOUTHEASTERN
AREA
>> Gyeongju |
Gyeongju
was once the capital
of the Silla Kingdom
and subsequently the
center of Korea when
Silla unified the
peninsula in 676 A.D.
It was designated
by UNESCO as one of
the world's ten most
historically significant
sites. It is no wonder
that this area is
called the "Museum
Without Walls".
Getting
to
Gyeongju
Seoul - Gyeongju :
4 hrs. 10 min. by
Saemaeul Train, 4
hrs. 15 min. by express
bus
Busan - Gyeongju :
1 hr. 20 min. by express
bus |
 |
Dumuli
Park is a collection
of royal Silla tombs
located in the middle
of Gyeongju. The park
contains 20 tombs,
of which Cheonmachong
(Flying Horse Tomb)
is the most famous.
The Cheonmachong was
excavated in 1974,
and yielded more than
10,000 treasures.
These treasures, including
a golden crown and
girdle, are all in
the Gyeongju National
Museum.
The tomb itself is
open for viewing,
and provides visitors
with the opportunity
to see how the huge
tombs were constructed
and how items were
arranged in them.
::
Location
: Downtown Gyeongju
::
Transportation
: 5
min. by bus from Gyeongju
Station |
 |
The
world's earliest known
observatory in existence,
this 7th century bottle-shaped
stone structure probably
built during the reign
of Queen Seondeok,
is admired by archeologists
worldwide. The diameter
at its base is 5.17
m (17 ft.) and it
stands 9.4 m (31ft.)
high.
::
Location
: South of Gyeongju
near Dumuli Park
::
Transportation
:
10 min. walk from
Gyeongju Sta. |
 |
The
Silla royal family
relaxed and enjoyed
themselves here and
entertained important
guests at Anapji Pond.
Surrounded by trees,
ponds and natural
stones, it is a harmonious
royal garden. The
pond was temporarily
drained in 1974 to
reveal a veritable
treasure trove of
Silla artifacts which
are now on display
in the Gyeongju National
Museum.
::
Location
: Near Cheomseongdae
::
Transportation
:
15 min. on foot from
Gyeongju Station |
 |
Poseokjeong
Watercourse is all
that remains today
of a detached royal
palace. The king used
to hold drinking parties
here, floating cups
for his guests around
a loop made in the
shape of an abalone
shell.
::
Location
: South of the Gyeongju
National Museum
::
Transportation
:
20 min. from Gyeongju
Station by bus |
 |
One
of Korea's best known
temples, Bulgulsa,
on the western slope
of Mt. Tohamsan, is
a monument to both
the skill of the Silla
architects and the
depth of Buddhist
faith at the time.
While most of the
wooden buildings have
been rebuilt over
the centuries, all
the stone bridges,
stairways and pagodas
are original. In 1995,
Bulguksa Temple was
added to UNESCO's
World Heritage List.
::
Location
: Western slope of
Mt. Tohamsan
::
Transportation
: 30 min. by bus from
Gyeongju Station |
 |
Dating
back to the same era
as Bulguksa, Seokguam
Grotto is one of Asia's
greatest Buddhist
shrines. Surrounded
by Bodhisattvas and
guardian deities,
the serene central
statue of Buddha grazes
out over the forested
hills and across the
East Sea to the horizon.
The building of the
granite dome of Seokguram
was a truly amazing
architectural feat.
In 1995, Seokguam
Grotto was added to
UNESCO's World Heritage
List.
::
Location
: Near the top of
Mt. Tohamsan
::
Transportation
: 20 min. from Bulguksa
Temple by bus |
The
Bomun Lake Resort
was opened by the
Korea National Tourism
Organization in 1978.
Located on Bomun Lake,
where traditional
and modern architecture
coexist, the resort
has four super deluxe
hotels, convention
facilities, shopping
centers, a casino,
golf courses, a bowling
alley, tennis courts,
swimming pools and
a modern hotel school.
Many sports facilities
are also available.
::
Location
: East of downtown
Gyeongju
::
Transportation
: 20 min. by bus from
Gyeongju Station |
 |
 |
One
of the three great
temples of Korea,
Haeinsa was established
in A.D. 802. It is
chiefly known today
as the depository
of the Tripitaka Koreana,
over 80,000 wooden
printing blocks engraved
with one of the most
comprehensive compilations
of the Buddhist scriptures
in all of Asia. The
Tripitaka Koreana
was made on Ganghwado
Island and later moved
to Haeinsa Temple.
It took 16 years to
make the plates and,
although they were
completed in 1251,
they are in perfect
condition and can
still be used for
printing. In 1995,
Haeinsa's Janggyeong
Panjeon, the Depositories
for the Tripitaka
Koreana woodblocks,
was added to UNESCO's
World Heritage List. |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
