South Korea has come a long way, baby, in these past few decades, and may punch above its weight internationally (and even, these days, pop-culturally, thanks to its its government's strenuous promotion efforts), but as a travel destination it's still often gets relatively short shrift compared to many of its neighbors in Asia - unless maybe you're fascinated by Cold-War relics like the DMZ.
But there are definitely gems sprinkled throughout this country, and for me the shiniest is the city of Gyeongju (I always think of it as Kyongju, because that's the way it was being commonly transliterated when I first visited back in the 1990s; but hey, I still think of China's capital as Peking). Anyhoo...this southeastern coastal city (relatively small, at just 264,000) about a 6 1/2-hour train ride from Seoul, was once the Big Kimchi of the entire peninsula, which as the capital of the ancient Silla kingdom then lorded over two thirds of the peninsula between the 7th and 9th century AD (one of the world's longest-lived dynasties). And as such it has been left with a wealth of temples, tombs, pagodas, castles, gardens, statuary, and sundry historic remnants, a good portion of which has been restored beginning in the 1970s; in fact, the place is dubbed "the museum without walls," and several of its areas have been declared UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
What lies at the center of Gyeongju's appeal is its historic core, now the heart of South Korea's only historical national park, made up of the ruins of the hundreds of temples, palaces, and other structures associated with the Silla dynasty. There are many different parts of this non-contiguous park, but the highlights for me are the following:
Bulguksa Temple/Seokguram Grotto One of Korea's most imposing Buddhist temples (arguably more so than any in and around Seoul) because of its setting, atmosphere, and splendid pagodas, statuary, and other artwork. Bulguksa (top) is located several miles out of town; it was built in the 6th century and is still in use today. One its outlying parts is perhaps my favorite spot in Gyeongju. Seokguram Grotto (above) is a bit of a hike up a winding mountain path, but that's part of the appeal - experiencing a walk through a lovely natural setting, ending up at at a kind of small, artificial granite cave centred on an interior rotunda housing an 11½- foot-high seated Buddha surrounded by bas reliefs.
Mount Namsan A mountain a couple of miles south of city center that's like an open-air museum, featuring around 100 temples, 60 pagodas, pavillions, statues and rock carvings (above), a fortress, and of course marvelous scenic views.
Tumuli Park This collection of green mounds near the city center holds a number of Silla royal tombs such as Cheonmachong (Heavenly Horse), named for one of its most striking artifacts, a birch-bark saddle flap with a rare, dramatic depiction of a horse. A number of others have been excavated, and there are others around the city, as well.
Yangdong Folk Village About 10 miles outside the city center, this preserved 15th-century town is like a Korean version of Colonial Williamsburg, with dozens of medieval-era homes, farms, and shops, where people still live and demonstrate traditional calligraphy, crafts, and the like.
If you're interested and want to come during an especially lively time locally, aim for October, when the city puts on one of Korea's top celebrations, the Silla Cultural Festival, with athletic events, folk games, music, dance, and Buddhist religious ceremonies. Or in March there's also a Korean Traditional Drink and Rice Cake Festival.
Now if they could only get Psy to come up with another monster hit, "Gyeongju Style."
More info: Gyeongju.go.kr, GyeongjuLove.blogspot.com.
images: Samuel Orchard, Junho Jung, rshe002, Daeneungwon, by sprklg
Comments