Gyeongju is a city full of history and it is called a museum without walls. As Part 1 of the Gyeongju series, I will take you on a walking tour of a small portion near the city center. For most people, it may not take all day. But this is a walking tour, so be prepared with your walking shoes.
For those of you who want to add Gyeongju to your trip, here is a hint. If you are short on time, you can do a day trip from Busan, Daegu, or other nearby cities. If you are planning on spending more time and want to do a deep dive into the history of this ancient city, you could spend 2 to 3 days. You can see a lot near the city center, but some of the other famous spots would require some additional travel time by bus or taxi. Gyeongju is also famous for its National Museum, which could eat up all day if you’re anything like me.
A little History:
Gyeongju, which was called Seorabeol, was the capital of Silla from 57 BCE to 935 CE. It is located on the southeast side of the Korean peninsula with Pohang to the north, Daeju to the west, and Ulsan to the south. Silla was one of the kingdoms during the Three Kingdom period along with Baekje to the west and Goguryeo to the north. While it was the smallest of the three kingdoms in the early period, it eventually went on to conquer the other two kingdoms. Silla is divided into two periods: Silla and Silla Unified (after incorporating Baekje and Goguryeo). Silla is the only kingdom to have a female monarch (it actually had three) with the first predating even China (Empress Wu). The throne was shared by three clans: Park, Seok, and Gim. Gyeongju’s rich archaeological material along with the 12th-century text Samguk Sagi, we can journey back over 1,000 years!
Sites:
Historical Site No. 512: Daereungwon Ancient Tomb Complex is the resting place for Silla Dynasty’s kings, queens, and high-ranking noble family members. The complex contains 50 tombs and it is located in the center of the city. It will cost you 4,000 won to get into the main park, but you can see most other tombs by walking around the city center. The park is full of trees surrounded by large mound-shaped tombs.
Ancient Tomb No. 155: Cheonmachong Tomb was excavated in 1973. This tomb is located inside the walled park, closest to the main gate on the north side. The tomb contained numerous jewels and relics including a gold crown. Cheonmachong means ‘Sky Horse Tomb’ because of the mud-guard found in the tomb. While the experts believe the tomb belongs to a king, they have not been able to identify the owner. The tomb is now a small museum with replicas of what was originally found.
Historical Site No. 175: About the middle of the walled park is the Tomb of King Michu, who reigned from 262 to 284 CE. He was the thirteenth king of Silla and the first king from the Kim clan. While the Silla throne was occupied by the Seok clan after King Muchi, it returned to the Kim clan with King Naemul (17th king of Silla, reigned from 356 to 402 CE), and the Kim clan held onto the throne until the end of the dynasty.
National Treasure No. 31: Cheomseongdae Observatory
As you continue your way to the opposite gate, you will exit into a large parking lot. Once you cross the road from the parking lot, you will see the park with the Cheomseongdae Observatory. Cheomseongdae means ‘star gazing platform’ and it was built during Queen Seondeok’s reign (632-647 CE). It is the oldest surviving astrological observatory in Asia. This unique stone structure has 366 stones to represent the number of days in a year. There are 12 layers below and above the center window to represent the months. In ancient times, people may have used a ladder to climb to the center window and make their way to the top to observe the stars.
Historical Site No. 161: Archaeological Area of Eastern Gyeongju. Much of this area is under construction/excavation through 2021. This large area contains Gyerim Forest (east) to Donggung Palace (west) to Wolseong Palace. Wolseong Palace was originally built during King Pisa’ reign in 101 CE. The palace is named Wolseong, or Moon Palace because of its crescent-shaped perimeter. It was strategically located with the streams as natural defenses and it also sat high to look down onto the city.
When to Visit
The best time to go to Gyeongju is either spring or fall. Summers are often hot and humid and winters are cold. Many people visit in the spring for the cherry blossoms and colorful foliage in the fall. No matter what time of year you visit, you will not be disappointed!
Stay tuned for Gyeongju Part 2, coming soon!