Bulguksa Temple can be found in the Gyeongju region, around 4-5 hours away from Seoul, being a representative relic of the Buddhist culture from the Silla Kingdom.
The temple was built in the year 528, the 15th reigning year of King Beop- Heung (514-540) to wish prosperity and peace for everyone. The first renovation occurred in 751 by King Kim Dae Song, unfortunately, being burnt down during the Imjin war (1592 – 1598), a fact which caused severe damage turning it into an easy target for thieves. Thus, starting with the year 1920 the temple suffers continuous reconstruction.
In the temple, there are seven national treasures and several other patrimonies, which made it declared one of the UNESCO Cultural Heritage sites together with the Seoukguram Cave which is found nearby.
Situated on Toham mountain, the Seoukguram Cave is a granite man-made representative stone temple of Korea. The construction of the cave started in the year 751 at the same time as the reconstruction of the Bulguksa Temple, guided by Kim Dae Song, only to be finished 24 years later, more specifically, in 744.
According to the historical compilation book Samguk Yusa, Kim Dae Song has built the Bulguksa Temple in honor of his parents from his actual life, and the Seoukguram Temple to worship his parents from his previous life.
For more details like the functioning schedule and ticket prices for both the temple and the cave, you can find them on Visit Korea’s website, Bulguksa official website, or on Temple Stay.
How to get there:
Take the bus or train from Seoul to Gyeongju, then from Gyeongju Station or Bus Terminal, and take the city bus to Bulguksa Temple.
Bus No. : 10, 11
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